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Preliminary clinical experience with the Heartflo anastomosis device
1Cardiovascular Surgery Dept, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon, 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland. Tozzig@hotmail.com
Unlabelled:
A clinical, prospective trial to evaluate a multi-suture anastomotic device (Heartflo) is currently underway. This new surgical tool can be used during CABG to perform end-to-side or side-to-side coronary arteries anastomoses with interrupted suture technique. This reports our interim preliminary clinical experience.
Methods:
From February to November 2000, we attempted 15 anastomoses with the multi-suture anastomotic device (Heartflo) in 11 patients with coronary artery disease.
Results:
7 males, 4 females, mean age 64 +/- 3 yrs received 15 anastomoses with the device. The target vessels were: 8 RCA, 3 LAD, 4 OM. Mean coronary diameter was 2 +/- 0.3 mm. Grafts used were 14 saphenous veins and 1 IMA. 13/15 anastomoses were completed with the device. 5/13 required 0 - 1 additional stitches versus 8/13 requiring more due to inappropriate tissue capture on the native coronary side. Average time was 17.7 +/- 2 min. In 2/15 cases, the procedure was converted to a traditional handsaw anastomosis. Postoperative CK movement without Q-wave in the EKG was observed in 1/11 patients.
Conclusions:
This device is a reliable instrument that provides reproducible coronary anastomoses with interrupted suture technique, although it also requires additional measures to improve tissue capture and process of handling sutures before extensive clinical application.