Beating Heart Surgery Preferred to Heart-lung Machine

Coronary artery bypass surgery performed on a beating heart, without the aid of a heart-lung machine, is a safe option that leads to fewer negative side effects for bypass patients, according to a new study.

According to a review of the latest clinical trials by two cardiac surgeons, performing delicate coronary anastomoses with off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery, while more technically challenging for the surgeon, keeps side effects low and allows for a quicker recovery when compared to surgery performed with a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The review was published online on January 23, 2007, in the Journal of Cardiac Surgery.

"Previously, it was more common for doctors to perform artery bypass surgery on the heart by stopping the heart and passing the blood through a heart-lung machine,” said lead author Dr. Shahzad Raja of the department of cardiothoracic surgery at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Glasgow, Scotland). "However, this process frequently leads to ‘whole body inflammation,' which includes complications such as brain swelling, heart arrhythmia, and infections.”

"If the surgeons are skilled enough to perform the surgery without stopping the heart, it can be offered to high-risk patients who would not be likely to survive the side effects of the traditional stopped-heart method,” continued Dr. Raja. "For this reason, quality training needs to be provided for those surgeons who wish to offer this option to their patients.”





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Royal Hospital for Sick Children Glasgow