Are cardiac bypass patients usually put on a ventilator during the operation? How about off-pump patients?

Hello.
A couple of good reasons to vent cardiac bypass patients:
Of course they have a need for "general anesthesia" and due to having their thorax open to atmospheric pressure, without a pressure support or positive end expiratory pressure, their lungs (alveoli) would colapse.

yes they are. They also lower the patients body temp. My husband had to be infused with warm saline and have warming blankets on him after. They try to get the patient off the ventilator as soon as possible, usually that first night. my husband looked very washed out afterwards til we realized one of the reasons he looked colorless was because they shaved all his hair :) and we were seeing his bare skin. He was up and around the next day like nothing and I was amazed.

It depends ! Of course now a day technology has reached its height ! Heart surgeon are doing this by thoracotomy!They don't open the chest wall but put a endoscope inside it and do the bypass surgery with instrument called Octopus !They do not need ventilator of they are doing with this device They call it mini thoractomy bypass where do this on BEATING heart ! Ventilator is used if the surgery is done open cheat and open heart surgery where they stop the heart beats and than the function of heart and lungs are taken up by this ventilator during the bypass surgery !If satisfied give best answer mark ! Take care !Always YouRsmE