Experimental off-pump grafting of a circumflex branch via sternotomy using a suction device

Background. We have shown previously in the pig that coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart may be facilitated by local cardiac wall immobilization by a suction device (“Octopus”) applied to the anterolateral side of the heart. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of the method on the posterolateral side. Methods. In a consecutive series of 8 pigs, after median sternotomy, the posterior wall was taken hold of by the Octopus and subsequently brought up anteriorly and immobilized while hemodynamics were monitored. A posterolateral branch of the circumflex artery was grafted with the left internal mammary artery. After the coronary artery was ligated proximally, the heart was repositioned. At 6 weeks, bypass graft angiography and functional testing (postocclusion hyperemia testing) were performed. After sacrifice, histologic examination of the anastomosis was performed. Results. Dislocation of the heart to expose the distal anastomosis site caused a minor drop in mean arterial blood pressure from 71 ± 14 (baseline) to 63 ± 6 mm Hg (dislocated) (not significant) and recovery to 70 ± 12 mm Hg, 15 minutes after repositioning. Cardiac output decreased from 4.0 ± 1.0 to 3.2 ± 0.7 L/min (p = 0.02) and recovered to 4.3 ± 0.3 L/min. No inotropic drugs were necessary. Anastomosing required 21.5 ± 6.5 minutes. Baseline graft flow was 8 ± 3 mL/min and increased threefold to 24 ± 10 mL/min (p < 0.05) at postocclusive hyperemia testing. At sacrifice after 6 weeks (n = 8), graft flow increased fourfold from 5 ± 2 to 20 ± 8 mL/min (p = 0.002) (n = 7). At histologic examination all eight anastomoses were patent without stenosis or mural thrombus. Conclusions. Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting of the posterolateral circumflex branches using the Octopus method on the beating pig heart is feasible, with full patency maintained for at least 6 weeks.