off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB)

Off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) is a surgical procedure to improve blood flow to the heart by bypassing blocked arteries. Unlike traditional bypass surgery that uses a heart-lung machine to stop the heart, OPCAB is performed while the heart is still beating. Surgeons stabilize only the area they're working on, allowing them to bypass blocked arteries without stopping the heart or using the machine. This approach can reduce some risks associated with conventional surgery, such as complications from the heart-lung machine, and may lead to quicker recovery times.