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(Circulation. 2002;106:I-1.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.

Surgery for Coronary Heart Disease

First Clinical Results With a New Mechanical Connector for Distal Coronary Artery Anastomoses in CABG

Friedrich S. Eckstein, MD; Luis F. Bonilla, MD; Lars Englberger, MD; Franz Eberli, MD; Stephan Windecker, MD; Todd A. Berg; Michel Romanens, MD; Franz F. Immer, MD; Thierry P. Carrel, MD

From the Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery (F.S.E., L.E., F.F.I., T.P.C.) and the Department of Cardiology (F.E., S.W.), University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland; the St. Jude Medical Anastomotic Technology Group (ATG), Minneapolis, Minn. (L.F.B., T.A.B.); and the Rodiag Radiology Group, Olten, Switzerland (M.R.).

Correspondence to Friedrich Stefan Eckstein, MD, Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Berne, Freiburgstrasse, CH-3010 Berne, Switzerland. E-mail friedrich.eckstein{at}insel.ch

Background Coronary anastomoses are currently primarily carried out with the use of running nonabsorbable sutures. Recently, a renewed interest has developed for facilitated mechanical anastomotic devices especially for minimal invasive techniques or limited access surgery. The initial experience with the first successful creation of mechanical vein-to-coronary artery anastomoses in humans is reported.

Methods and Results Between November 2000 and June 2001, 14 patients scheduled for multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedure were investigated. One vein graft-to-coronary artery anastomosis per patient was performed with the St. Jude Medical ATG Symmetry coronary connector system (stainless steel investigational device, not yet commercially available). We evaluated the overall performance of the device. Intraoperative flow measurements of the grafts using transit time methods were measured. A postoperative angiographic control was performed immediately after the procedure in all patients. Hemostasis was instantaneous in all cases and all anastomoses (mechanical n=14, sutured n=40) were patent. Mean intraoperative flow measurements for the mechanical anastomosed vein grafts was 75±25 mL/min. Three month angiogram or MRI angiography is available to date in 11 patients. Ten connector grafts were patent and 1 was occluded. There were no cardiac-related adverse events or return of angina; exercise tolerance tests and stress electrocardiograms were normal in all patients.

Conclusions The St. Jude Medical ATG Symmetry coronary connector system is a new device for sutureless distal vein graft-to-coronary artery anastomoses in CABG. This system allows the construction of geometrically perfect anastomoses. This technology represents a further step in a new era of sutureless anastomoses in cardiac surgery.

Key Words: cardiovascular diseases • bypass grafting • mechanical anastomoses