What Is Off-Pump Heart Bypass Surgery?
“Off-pump” or beating heart bypass surgery allows surgeons to perform surgery while the heart is still beating. The heart-lung machine is not used. The surgeon uses advanced operating equipment to stabilize (hold) portions of the heart and bypass the blocked artery. Meanwhile, the rest of the heart keeps pumping and circulating blood to the body. With present technology, all coronary arteries can be bypassed off-pump. The off-pump technique may be ideal for certain patients who have an increased risk of complications from being placed on the heart-lung machine, such as those who have vascular disease, heavy plaque buildup in the aorta (aortic calcification), carotid artery stenosis (narrowing or blockage in the arteries leading to the brain), prior stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), or breathing or kidney function problems. Not all patients are candidates for off-pump surgery. According to the American Heart Association, about 20% of heart bypass surgeries are performed off-p
