Off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with left ventricular dysfunction

Objective Using data from the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database, we evaluated the prognostic influence of off-pump technique in patients with low ejection fraction who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods We analyzed 2187 patients with an ejection fraction <0.30 who underwent primary, nonemergency, isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between 2008 and 2012, as reported in the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database. Patients were divided into on-pump (n = 1134; 51.1%) and off-pump (n = 1053; 48.9%) coronary artery bypass grafting groups. Propensity-score matching for 20 preoperative variables was performed, and early mortality and morbidity were compared between matched groups. Results Propensity-score matching created 918 pairs. Of the 918 patients in the off-pump group, conversion to an on-pump procedure occurred in 56 (6.1%). Compared with on-pump, off-pump technique was associated with significantly lower incidences of 30-day death (1.7% vs 3.7%; P =.01), operative death (3.3% vs 6.1%; P =.006), mediastinitis (1.9% vs 3.4%; P =.041), reoperation for bleeding (0.9% vs 3.5%; P <.001), and prolonged ventilation (8.2% vs 13.4%; P <.001). Comparison of patients undergoing off-pump versus on-pump procedures demonstrated no significant differences in the incidence of stroke (1.5% vs 2.1%; P =.38), renal failure (6.1% vs 7.4%; P =.26), and postoperative dialysis (3.1% vs 4.4%; P =.14). Institutional volume-adjusted analysis confirmed most of these results. Conclusions Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with significantly reduced early mortality and morbidity in patients with an ejection fraction <0.30.