Early clinical experience with a new sutureless anastomotic device for proximal anastomosis of the saphenous vein to the aorta

Background: Avoiding aortic side clamping in useful to avoid local particulate embolization, X device that allows a saphenous vein el aft to be anastomosed to the aorta without aortic manipulation is clinically evaluated, Methods anti results: From July 1999 to March 2000, 17 patients who underwent myocardial revascularization had an aorta-saphenous vein graft anastomosis performed by means of an aortic anastomotic devise, Eight were operated on with cardiopulmonary bypass and 9 without, The proximal anastomoses created by the aortic anastomotic device were performed before the institution of cardiopulmonary bypass or before the related distal anastomosis was performed, In ii patients transcranial Doppler ultrasound was used, In 1 (6%) patient the saphenous vein graft was not deployed, and in 2 (12%) a single suture was added for minor bleeding, None of the 11 patients evaluated with transcranial Doppler ultrasound had evidence of particulate embolization during the procedure, No patient died or was reoperated on for bleeding, Sis (35%) patients had a postoperative angiogram 48 +/- 26 days after the operation that showed widely patent proximal anastomoses. Conclusions: Use of an aortic anastomotic device allows a sutureless anastomosis to be created between the aorta and saphenous vein gl aft. The device could be used in totally endoscopic myocardial revascularization. A second-generation device is ready to solve the problems encountered and to increase the ease in handling the device.