Trends Over Time in the Relative Use and Associated Mortality of On-Pump and Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in the Veterans Affairs System

This retrospective study from the US Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program evaluated the use of off-pump bypass over time for primary isolated CABG.  Peak use in 2003 was 24%, which then decreased and stabilized at 19%.  Conversion rates steadily declined to a stable rate of under 3.5%.  Mortality for on-pump and off-pump CABG has remained below 2% since 2006.