Surgery. All CABGs were performed by experienced cardiac surgeons , each of whom performs 100 CABGs annually. Off-pump(cardiopulmonary bypass pump)or conventional CABG was performed at the discretion of the attending surgeon, with off pump CABG usually per formed when severe atherosclerosis was suspected along the aortic arch.Off-pumpCABGwasperformedusing1of several commercially available ,suction-based ,cardiac- positioning and coronary artery-stabilizing devices.
Conventional CABG was performed using standard techniques that used roller head pumps ,membrane oxygenators, cardiotomy suction ,arterial filters ,cold antegrade and retrograde blood cardioplegia ,and moderate systemic hypothermia (32°Cto34°C).