# Effect of using pump on postoperative pleural effusion in the patients that underwent CABG

## TL;DR

This study found that off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery is linked to fewer left pleural effusions compared to on-pump surgery.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence on the impact of surgical technique on postoperative left pleural effusion rates.

## Key findings

- Left pleural effusion was significantly less common in off-pump patients (P=0.006).
- Right and bilateral pleural effusion rates were higher in on-pump patients but not statistically significant.
- No significant difference in right or bilateral pleural effusion between the two groups.

## Abstract

The present study investigated effect of using pump on postoperative pleural
effusion in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting.

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.

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).

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.