Off-pump coronary artery surgery with the use of anastomotic devices: An additional tool for the challenging patient

Background Avoidance of aortic side-clamping may decrease the risk of embolization to the brain and other organs during coronary revascularization. Herein we describe our preliminary experience with an anastomotic device for proximal anastomosis construction. Methods From October 2000 to June 2001, 18 selected patients undergoing beating heart surgery had an aorta-to-saphenous vein graft anastomosis performed with the St. Jude Medical Aortic connector. Results All anastomoses were successfully deployed. In two patients there was a minor anastomotic bleeding and in other two cases a kinking occurred due to a too short and a too long graft respectively. One patient, with graft occlusion on the fourteenth postoperative day, underwent successful percutaneous revascularization. Conclusions Our preliminary results indicate that the aortic anastomotic device is safe and effective and its use could be widened once long-term results are available.