No clear winner in traditional vs. off-pump bypass surgery

A panel of experts commissioned by the American Heart Association says that on-pump and off-pump bypass surgery are equivalent, though each has its advantages and disadvantages.

Fifty years ago, fixing a narrowed or blocked coronary artery was part science fiction and part fantasy. Today, such repairs are almost run-of-the-mill, giving second chances to a million or so hearts a year in the United States alone.