Emergency coronary artery bypass surgery in octogenarians with acute coronary syndrome: off and on pump

OBJECTIVE: The risk of operation in cardiac surgery increases logarithmically with advanced age. In older individuals, additional comorbidities compel the clinician to deal with postoperative complications. The mortality and morbidity rates of emergency coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) in the presence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), or just after it, are higher than those of elective surgeries. In our study, we compared the outcomes of off-pump coronary bypass (OPCAB) and on-pump coronary bypass surgery (ON CAB) in this high-risk subgroup.PATIENTS AND METHODS: 383 octogenarians who underwent isolated emergency CABG due to ACS were divided into two groups according to the coronary bypass technique. Group 1 (off-pump) median age (IQR) 84 years (min: 80-max: 99, n = 130); Group 2, (on-pump) median age 85 years (min: 80-max: 89, n=253). Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected retrospectively on standard variables. OPCAB and ONCAB outcomes were compared.RESULTS: ONCAB patients had a significantly longer intensive care unit stay, longer hospital stay, more transfused erythrocyte suspension, more low cardiac output syndrome and acidosis, a higher rate of acute renal failure and a higher rate of stroke than OPCAB patients (respectively; p=0.003; p=0.008; p=0.002; p=0.031; p=0.038, p=0.022, respectively).CONCLUSIONS: We showed that emergency OPCAB as a revascularization option in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome is more advantageous in terms of preventing major postoperative complications.