title: The use of an aortic connector system in a patient with severe calcified ascending aorta.
abstract: Patients with severe calcified ascending aorta ("porcelain aorta") present a surgical challenge. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB), using new automated proximal anastomotic devices, provide a surgical alternative for patients who are not candidates for in situ arterial grafting. We present a 74-year-old male with double-vessel disease and a large calcified aneurysm of the left anterior wall. Left ventricular function was poor with an ejection fraction of 24%. The beating heart technique was used for the distal anastomosis and ventriculoplasty. The proximal anastomosis was constructed with an automated aortic connector system, thereby avoiding clamping of the severely diseased aorta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, Germany. gumj@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Jan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gummert
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bossert
authors.forename: Friedrich W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Mohr
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D016896:Treatment Outcome