Medical Society Reaches Consensus on ‘Beating Heart’ Bypass Surgery

Earlier this month, the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS; Beverly, MA) concluded in a consensus statement that off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB), or ‘beating heart' surgery, is as safe and effective as conventional coronary artery bypass surgery and may even be more appropriate for certain at-risk patients. The statement followed a 19-month review of clinical data and outcomes over the last decade comparing OPCAB with traditional procedures that require use of a heart-lung machine.