Effect of postoperative pleural effusion in patients undergoing on-pump CABG

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated effect of using pump on postoperative pleural effusion in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: A total of 256 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting surgery in the Cardiovascular Surgery clinic were enrolled in the study. Jostra-Cobe (Model 043213 105, VLC 865, Sweden) heart-lung machine was used in on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting was performed using Octopus and Starfish. Proximal anastomoses to the aorta in both on-pump and off-pump techniques were performed by side clamps. The patients were discharged from the hospital between postoperative day 6 and day 11. RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative right pleural effusion and bilateral pleural effusion was found to be higher as a count in Group 1 (on-pump) as compared to Group 2 (off-pump). But the difference was not statistically significant [P>0.05 for right pleural effusion (P=0.893), P>0.05 for bilateral pleural effusion (P=0.780)]. Left pleural effusion was encountered to be lower in Group 2 (off-pump). The difference was found to be statistically significant (P<0.05, P=0.006). CONCLUSION: Under the light of these results, it can be said that left pleural effusion is less prevalent in the patients that underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting when compared to the patients that underwent on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.