Sutureless proximal anastomosis using the PAS-Port system: six-month patency and five-year follow-up in "all-comers".
BACKGROUND
The PAS-Port system (Cardica, Inc, Redwood City, CA) was used routinely for patients undergoing coronary surgery with at least one venous graft. Graft patency and clinical results were evaluated, respectively, at 6 months and 5 years after surgery.


METHODS
A total of 100 patients (82 males, 18 females; mean age 68.9 ± 12 years) underwent coronary bypass surgery with at least one PAS-Port anastomosis (total number of PAS-Port implants: n = 117). At 6 months after surgery all patients were followed up clinically and 86 patients with 101 PAS-Port implants underwent either a multidetector computed tomographic scan or coronary angiography. Actuarial freedom from MACCE (major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events) was assessed at 5 years after surgery.


RESULTS
Six-month PAS-Port patency was 88%. The inner diameter of the graft at the implant site (measured in 26 patients) did not reveal any pathologic narrowing (mean inner diameter 3.1 ± 0.6 mm). At 5 years, freedom from overall MACCE was 79% ± 5% and freedom from PAS-Port target vessel revascularization was 94% ± 6%.


CONCLUSIONS
The routine use of PAS-Port was associated with good vein graft patency at 6 months and a low incidence of MACCE at 5 years after surgery. No evidence of implant-related graft stenosis was detected.
Demertzis
Stefanos
S
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano, Switzerland. demertzis@cardiocentro.org
Trunfio
Rafael
R
Faletra
Francesco
F
Wyttenbach
Rolf
R
Siclari
Francesco
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014654:Vascular Patency