title: Mid-term follow up of patients using the St. Jude Medical Aortic Connector System for proximal vein graft in CABG.
abstract: The aortic connector system may reduce stroke during proximal venous anastomosis. However, the overall anastomotic patency rate has been generally reported to be low. From October 2002 to March 2004, 68 patients who received proximal anastomosis using the St. Jude Aortic Connector System were included in the study. There were 47 men and 21 women and their mean age was 65.68+/-6.68 yr old (52 to 85 yr). Grafts were evaluated by coronary angiography or multi-slice 16 channel 3-D CT at 6 days and at 6 months postoperatively. In the immediate postoperative period, no stenosis was observed by either angiography (n=22) or 3D CT (n=46). At 6-month postoperatively, we performed either angiography (n=7) or 3-D CT (n=52). Of these patients, 5 patients showed graft stenosis in the midportion, and 3 in the ostium. There were no stroke. Simple, and effective proximal anastomosis with good protection from cerebrovascular accident was achieved especially when calcification or atheromatous plaque was observed at the ascending aorta in the operation room. However, our mid term patency results raise concerns related to venous graft stenosis in the midportion. Therefore, longer follow up is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Cheol Hyun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Jae Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joon Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Suk Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.forename: Meong Gun
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*