[Initial results on the use of mechanical devices for proximal saphenous vein graft anastomoses: a clinical and angiographic evaluation].
OBJECTIVE
To report on our initial clinical experience of the utilization of a mechanical anastomotic device (MAD) to perform saphenous vein graft to aorta anastomosis.


METHODS
Between June 2002 and May 2003, 17 patients, including 13 male, with a mean age of 64.4 +/- 9.4 years, were selected for coronary artery bypass grafting using MAD. A total of 49 anastomoses, 19 arterial and 30 vein grafts, were performed with a mean of 2.9 +/-0.5 anastomoses per patient. Eleven (36.7%) vein-graft anastomoses were performed with conventional sutures and 19 (63.3%) using MAD. The clinical evolution, enzymatic and electrocardiographic alterations as well as an angiographic study were analyzed in the postoperative period.


RESULTS
Of the 17 patients, the mechanical device was used on 16 (94.1%). Six (37.5%) patients were operated on under cardiopulmonary bypass with a mean time of 102.9 +/-16.9 minutes. The postoperative evolution was satisfactory in all patients. No patient presented with enzymatic, myocardial infarction or other ischemic electrocardiographic alterations in the immediate postoperative period. Early postoperative angiography was performed in 9 (52.9%) patients. The anastomoses of the left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending artery were patent in all cases. Of the 15 saphenous vein grafts studied, 11 (73.3%) were performed using MAD, 9 (81.8%) of which were patent. All the 4 conventionally sutured vein anastomoses were patent. No hospital deaths occurred. In the late follow-up, 88.2% of the patients were free of cardiac-related events.


CONCLUSIONS
MAD for vein graft-to-aorta anastomoses proved to be feasible, but a wider analysis of the benefits of its utilization regarding operative time, aggression to the patient, patency of the grafts and final cost are necessary.
Jatene
Fabio J
FJ
Instituto do Coração do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
Dallan
Luis Alberto O
LA
Hueb
Alexandre C
AC
Lisboa
Luiz A
LA
Monteiro
Rosângela
R
Takeda
Fĺvio R
FR
Marin
José Flávio G
JF
Oliveira
Sérgio A
SA
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D006801:Humans; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery