Impact of female gender on the early outcome in off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery

Background/Objective: Female gender is an independent risk factor for adverse Outcome after conventional coronary bypass surgery (CABG). The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the influence of the gender on the early outcome in "off pump" coronary bypass surgery without extracorporeal circulation (OPCAB). Patients and Method: Between January 2001 and December 2003, a total of 225 patients, 49 female and 176 Male, underwent OPCAB surgery for multivessel disease at our institution. Operations were performed by the same surgeon. The relationship between OPCAB surgery and clinical outcome with major and minor adverse events was assessed with univariate analysis. Results: The same operative technique was applied for both female and male patient groups. No conversion to conventional CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass was necessary The overall in-hospital mortality was 1.3% (3 of 225 patients), all of them in the male patient group (p = 0.08). Female patients showed a lower rate of postoperative atrial fibrillation than male patients (6% vs. 15%; p = 0.08). The incidence for further postoperative complications Such as rethoracotomy for bleeding, stroke, delirium, pneumonia and wound infection was identical and statistically not different in both groups. Conclusions: In OPCAB surgery female gender plays not a predictive role for postoperative adverse events and complications influencing morbidity and mortality In selected female patients OPCAB surgery has a beneficial effect on early clinical outcome.