Modified USA Dressing Forceps 145mm — Off-Pump CABG

Modified USA Dressing Forceps — 145mm Off-Pump CABG

The 145mm Modified USA dressing forceps serves off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting — the technique that performs CABG without cardiopulmonary bypass, using mechanical stabilisers to hold the target coronary artery still while the surgeon performs the anastomosis on the beating heart. American off-pump-CABG programmes have refined the technique extensively; the 14.5cm Modified USA pattern populates the off-pump-CABG tray at American academic centres.

The off-pump-CABG technique

Off-pump CABG (“beating-heart bypass”) was developed in the 1990s as an alternative to traditional on-pump CABG, motivated by concerns about cardiopulmonary-bypass-induced inflammation, cognitive dysfunction, and renal complications. The technique uses suction-cup stabilisers (Octopus, Starfish) to immobilise the target coronary segment while preserving overall cardiac function. The 145mm Modified USA forceps handles the pericardial tissue and the IMA pedicle during the on-beating-heart anastomosis.

The American off-pump-CABG experience

Off-pump CABG represents approximately 15-20% of American CABG procedures, with higher rates at centres specifically programmed for the technique. Long-term outcomes are equivalent to on-pump CABG at experienced centres. The Modified USA forceps is part of the standardised instrument tray for these programmes.