title: Evaluation of a novel laser-assisted coronary anastomotic connector - the Trinity Clip - in a porcine off-pump bypass model.
abstract: To simplify and facilitate beating heart (i.e., off-pump), minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery, a new coronary anastomotic connector, the Trinity Clip, is developed based on the excimer laser-assisted nonocclusive anastomosis technique. The Trinity Clip connector enables simplified, sutureless, and nonocclusive connection of the graft to the coronary artery, and an excimer laser catheter laser-punches the opening of the anastomosis. Consequently, owing to the complete nonocclusive anastomosis construction, coronary conditioning (i.e., occluding or shunting) is not necessary, in contrast to the conventional anastomotic technique, hence simplifying the off-pump bypass procedure. Prior to clinical application in coronary artery bypass grafting, the safety and quality of this novel connector will be evaluated in a long-term experimental porcine off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) study. In this paper, we describe how to evaluate the coronary anastomosis in the porcine OPCAB model using various techniques to assess its quality. Representative results are summarized and visually demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht; dsteche2@umcutrecht.nl.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stecher
authors.affiliation: Vascular Connect b.v.
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bronkers
authors.affiliation: Vascular Connect b.v.
authors.forename: Jappe O T
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Noest
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Utrecht.
authors.forename: Cornelis A F
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Tulleken
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht.
authors.forename: Imo E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Hoefer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht.
authors.forename: Lex A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: van Herwerden
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasterkamp
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht.
authors.forename: Marc P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Buijsrogge
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D047549:Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000601:surgery; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D023421:Models, Animal; D013552:Swine