Early clinical results with a magnetic connector for distal coronary artery anastomoses.

PURPOSE: The main goals in the development of an anastomotic device are to reduce the invasiveness of the procedure and to improve graft patency. We analyze our preliminary clinical experience with the Ventrica magnetic vascular positioner (MVP) series 6000 system.

DESCRIPTION: Eighteen distal anastomoses were performed in 11 patients using the MVP.

EVALUATION: The target artery for MVP was left anterior descending in 9 patients, a marginal branch in 4, the first diagonal branch in 3, and the right coronary artery in 2. Graft material was the left internal thoracic artery in 9 patients, saphenous vein in 6, the right internal thoracic artery in 2, and the radial artery in 1 case. Fifteen anastomoses were performed in an end-to-side and 3 in a side-to-side fashion. Predischarge angiography was performed in 10 of 11 patients. There was a patent MVP anastomosis in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Distal anastomoses using the MVP were performed successfully in all patients. The procedure is simple. Short-term patency is excellent. Further randomized trials are necessary to determine long-term safety and patency.