Routine reoperative off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting via midline sternotomy: is it feasible?

Multivessel off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) has been conducted safely; however, the clinical outcomes of reoperative OPCAB have not been reported clearly. Currently OPCAB is being performed systematically in this institution including reoperative surgeries. Between September 1, 1999, and December 31, 2003, reoperative OPCAB via midline sternotomy was planned for nonemergent patients with normal left ventricular function without valvular disease. The perioperative results of patients who underwent reoperative OPCAB were analyzed. Thirty-five patients were scheduled for OPCAB. Of these, OPCAB was performed in 27 patients, giving OPCAB success rate of 77.1%. Failure of OPCAB was due to graft injury in 2, ischemic EKG change in 1, and dense adhesion and difficulty of dissection in 5 patients. The mean number of grafts with completed OPCAB was 3.0 +/- 1.5. There were no hospital deaths, strokes, or respiratory or renal failures. One patient (3.7%) developed perioperative myocardial infarction. Postoperative angiography was obtained in 12 patients (26 distal anastomoses), and all anastomoses were perfect except for 1 distal anastomosis stenosis, giving an overall stenosis-free patency rate of 95.1%. During a follow-up period (mean 2.5 +/- 0.6 years), all patients survived without cardiac event, except 1 patient who underwent catheter intervention. Cardiopulmonary bypass may be required during cardiac dissection to decompress the heart and to facilitate dissection. However, once lysis of the adhesion is completed, reoperative OPCAB can be performed without increasing surgical risks. Midterm results were satisfactory.