Clinical experience with the CorLink device for proximal XXXX of the saphenous vein to the aorta: a clinical, prospective, and randomized study.

@entity1 @entity548 @entity254 @entity130 @entity3816
BACKGROUND: Avoiding tangential clamping of the ascending aorta during coronary bypass operations reduces the @entity130 to the aorta and may avoid local particulate embolization. METHODS: From December 2000 to May 2001, 21 male @entity1 , mean age 64.1 +/- 7.2 years (range, 46-76 years), with coronary artery 2-vessel (n = 3) and 3-vessel (n = 18) disease were divided randomly into 2 groups and underwent myocardial revascularization. In 11 @entity1 an aorta-saphenous vein graft @entity254 was performed with the CorLink device for @entity254 between the saphenous vein and the ascending aorta. Ten @entity1 served as control subjects. In these @entity1 the central bypass @entity254 was performed with a 6-0 running suture. Clinical follow-up was performed 1 month and 3 months postoperatively. Six months after surgery, multislice computed tomography was performed to evaluate bypass patency for all @entity1 . RESULTS: Mean number of study vessels was 1.2 +/- 0.4 in the CorLink group and 1.5 +/- 0.5 in the control group. In the CorLink group, 13 additional arterial and vein grafts were performed, and in the suture control group 15 additional mammary artery grafts were carried out. No @entity3816 occurred. In 2 CorLink anastomoses an additional stitch was necessary because of minor @entity548 . Follow-up was carried out at 6 months with multislice computed tomography for all @entity1 and showed only 1 study vessel occlusion in the CorLink group. All 62 other bypass grafts were revealed to be patent and had anastomoses of good quality. CONCLUSION: Our experience suggests that the CorLink device is a safe and effective technique for @entity254 between saphenous vein grafts and the ascending aorta. The CorLink device could be used for totally endoscopic coronary bypass operations. Further randomized studies enrolling a larger number of @entity1 are necessary to determine which @entity1 may benefit the most from this procedure.
