pump coronary artery bypass surgery is now possible, but is it better?
The aims of off-pump bypass surgery is to decrease the morbidity of coronary artery bypass surgery, such as stroke, renal failure and need for blood transfusion. Also of great interest is the possibility that the off-pump approach may lessen the risk of what are called cognitive changes that have been seen in many patients who underwent CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass. These short-term changes include memory loss, difficulty thinking clearly and problems concentrating for lengthy periods. They usually improve over the months following surgery. But a study in the February 8, 2001 New England Journal of Medicine raised the question of whether these short-term changes may affect long-term cognitive function.1 Although the reason for these cognitive changes is not yet definitely known, many physicians believe the changes are related to the fact that emboli (tiny particles, most commonly atherosclerotic plaque) are dislodged into the bloodstream when the heart-lung bypass machine is used.
