Neurocognitive Complications after Off-Pump and On-Pump CABG

Neurocognitive dysfunction after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB or “pump”) is a common complication, reported in up to 53% of patients. In many patients this morbidity is only mild and transient, but in 5% of cases, it is severe. In this prospective study from June 2002 to July 2004,186 cases underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) using CPB or off-pump CABG (OPCAB), and they were evaluated for neurocognitive complications by mini-mental status examination. The average age of the patients was 56±6.2 years, 62% were male and 38% were female. 121 operations were performed with CPB (on-pump) and 65 operations were done off-pump. Mini-mental status test was normal in 50% of off-pump CABGs and in 43% of on-pump CABGs, very mild disturbance was seen in 48% of off-pump CABGs and in 54% of on-pump CABGs (p value=0.192, NS), mild disturbance was seen in 2% of off-pump CABGs and in 3% of on-pump CABGs (p value 0.392, NS), and moderate or severe disturbance was not seen in either group. In our study, there was no significance difference in the frequency of postoperative neurocognitive complications between off-pump and on-pump CABG patients