BACKGROUND As surgical revascularization is becoming more frequent in octogenarians, we reviewed our data to analyze the impact of coronary artery bypass grafting on short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. METHODS We performed a retrospective study of 101 consecutive patients aged 80 years or older, who underwent coronary artery bypass in a single cardiac center between January 2002 and December 2007. The patients were divided into two groups: off-pump (64.4%) and on-pump (35.6%), depending on whether the surgery was performed with cardiopulmonary bypass. Early results and those up to 6 years after surgery were assessed. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups and follow-up was 90% complete. There were no significant differences between groups in mean age (off-pump = 82.7 +/- 18 years vs. on-pump = 82.2 +/- 2.2 years; p = NS) or in logistic EuroSCORE (off-pump = 11.2 +/- 12.3 vs. on-pump = 8.5 +/- 5.1; p = NS). However, the off-pump group had less complete revascularization (off-pump = 43.1% vs. on-pump = 83.3%, p = 0.0001) and shorter mean hospital stay (off-pump = 9.3 +/- 5.4 days vs. on-pump = 11.5 +/- 7.3 days; p = 0.09). Both groups showed low hospital mortality (off-pump = 1.5% vs. on-pump = 2.8%, p = NS). At 6-year follow-up, off-pump surgery patients had the same late prognosis (total survival: off-pump = 80% vs. on-pump = 77.4%, p = NS; cardiovascular mortality: off-pump = 15% vs. on-pump = 16.1%, p = NS). CONCLUSIONS In octogenarians coronary artery bypass grafting had excellent results. The off-pump technique, even though it can mean less complete revascularization, leads to shorter hospital stay and has the same 6-year results as in patients operated under cardiopulmonary bypass.