Impact of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery on post-operative pulmonary dysfunction: current best available evidence.

Pulmonary dysfunction is a well-recognized complication associated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgery. Off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery has been gaining in popularity in the last few years. Resurgence of interest in OPCAB is associated with the expectation that avoiding deleterious effects of the CPB pump leads to better outcomes and possibly decreased costs and resource utilization. This review article attempts to evaluate the current best available evidence from randomized controlled trials on the impact of OPCAB on postoperative pulmonary dysfunction.