Technical tips and pitfalls in OPCAB surgery: the buffalo experience.

Abstract

The Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Heart Surgery has performed more than 1,500 off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) procedures since 1995. The operation has changed significantly based on experience and development of new tools. These improvements have made the operations safer and applicable to more patients. No patients are presently scheduled for on-pump bypass surgery in our center. The purpose of this paper is to describe some of the problems and pitfalls we have experienced and how to avoid them.