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Redo‐OPCAB via Left Thoracotomy Using Symmetry Aortic Connector System:
Author(s) -
Masroor Saqib,
Katariya Kushagra,
Yassin Said,
Tehrani Hassan,
Salerno Tomas
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of cardiac surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.428
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1540-8191
pISSN - 0886-0440
DOI - 10.1111/j.0886-0440.2004.04011.x
Subject(s) - medicine , thoracotomy , ascending aorta , descending aorta , anastomosis , aorta , artery , cardiology , subclavian artery , thoracic aorta , left subclavian artery , surgery , vein , off pump coronary artery bypass , bypass grafting , aortic arch
Left thoracotomy is an established approach for redo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This approach has also been successfully used in off‐pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB). Traditionally, the grafts have been anastomosed proximally to the descending thoracic aorta or the left subclavian artery. Recently, proximal connectors have been introduced by various manufacturers for use on ascending aorta during primary CABG and OPCAB. One such device is the Symmetry aortic connector system (St. Jude Medical, Minneapolis, MN). These devices have obviated the need for partial occluding clamps for the construction of the proximal anastomoses and hence are extremely useful when the aorta is heavily calcified. We used this device successfully in two patients undergoing redo‐OPCAB, where the proximal anastomosis was constructed on the descending aorta. In so doing, we also used the shortest possible length of vein graft since the descending aorta at that level was much closer than the left subclavian artery. This can be an additional factor in redo‐operations where the availability of vein can be an issue. (J Card Surg 2004;19:51‐53)