Sutureless proximal anastomosis using the PAS-Port system: six-month patency and five-year follow-up in "all-comers"

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with clampless aortic anastomosis devices: Aortic sealing devices versus automated anastomosis punching

Objectives

Clampless aortic anastomosis devices aim to lower stroke risk in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Two main strategies for clampless anastomosis devices emerged with automated anastomosis punching and aortic sealing devices, prompting the question of perioperative outcome differences.

Methods

All consecutive patients undergoing elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with a clampless aortic anastomosis device between September 2014 and December 2021 in 2 centers were retrospectively included. Cohorts were divided by the use of an automated anastomosis punching device or an aortic sealing device to achieve proximal anastomosis on the ascending aorta. To reach group comparability propensity score matching was performed. The primary end point was defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, stroke and rethoracotomy. Secondary end points were perioperative outcome parameters.

Results

A total of 3703 patients were enrolled of whom 575 and 3128 were included in the automated anastomosis punching and the aortic sealing device group, respectively. By propensity score matching a total of 1150 patients were included with 575 in each group. The primary composite endpoint showed no significant difference with 6.3% versus 5.9% events (odds ratio, 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-1.53, P = .81). All-cause mortality (P = .36), stroke (P = .81), and rethoracotomy (P = .89) also exhibit no disparity. Operation time was significantly longer in the aortic sealing device cohort with 220.0 ± 50.8 minutes and 204.6 ± 53.8 minutes (P < .01).

Conclusions

Clampless aortic anastomosis strategies aortic sealing device and automated anastomosis punching did not differ in perioperative outcome parameters, whereas the implementation of aortic sealing devices were associated with a prolonged operation time without inducing any inferior clinical outcome.

Clinical outcomes of automated anastomotic devices: A metanalysis

Background and Aims

We investigated neurological events, graft patency, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), and mortality at 1 year following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery using automated proximal anastomotic devices (APADs) and compared the overall rates with the current literature.

Methods

A systematic review of all available reports of APADs use in the literature was conducted. Cumulative incidence and 95% confidence interval (CI) were the main statistical indexes. Nine observational studies encompassing a total of 718 patients were included at the end of the selection process.

Results

The cumulative event rate of neurological complications was 4.8% (lower‐upper limits: 2.8‐8.0, P < .001; I² = 72.907%, P = .002; Egger's test: intercept = –2.47, P = 0.16; Begg and Mazumdar test: τ = −0.20, p = 0.57). Graft patency was 90.5% (80.4 to 95.7, P < .001; I² = 76.823%, P = .005; Egger's test: intercept = –3.04, P = .10; Begg and Mazumdar test: τ = −0.67, P = .17). Furthermore, the overall incidence of MACEs was 3.7% (1.3‐10.4, P < .001; I² = 51.556%, P = .103; Egger's test: intercept = –1.98, P =  < .11; Begg and Mazumdar test: τ = −0.67, P = .17). Finally, mortality within 1 year was 5% (3.5‐7, P < .001; I² = 29.675%, P = .202; Egger's test: intercept = –0.91, P = .62; Begg and Mazumdar test: τ = −0.04, P = .88).

Conclusions

APADs do not seem to be correlated with a reduction of either neurological events or mortality. By contrast, these tools showed satisfactory one‐year graft patency and a low incidence of MACEs. Further research on this topic is warranted.

Patency of Saphenous Vein Grafts Using the PAS-Port System During Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

BACKGROUND

Several proximal anastomosis devices have been developed to shorten the time required for a proximal anastomosis and to avoid aortic cross-/side-clamping during coronary artery bypass grafting. This study retrospectively examined the patency of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) using the PAS-Port System (Cardia Inc, Redwood City, CA).

METHODS

From 2004 to 2014, 451 patients underwent coronary artery bypass graft operations requiring at least 1 proximal anastomosis using a PAS-Port device. A total of 802 PAS-Port devices were used, and 95.0% (762 of 802) were implanted successfully. Among the successfully implanted anastomoses, 76.8% (585 of 762) were evaluated using coronary angiography or multidimensional computed tomography, or both. The evaluations were performed between postoperative days 4 and 3,182 (mean, 319 ± 624 days). The early (1 to 365 days) and the midterm to long-term (more than 366 days) occlusion rates were examined. A complete postoperative clinical course was recorded for 70.7% of the patients.

RESULTS

Overall, 93.8% (549 of 585) of the device-dependent SVGs were patent. The patency rates of device-dependent SVGs that were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 years old were 90.1% ± 1.8%, 87.1% ± 2.3%, 86.1% ± 2.5%, 82.9% ± 3.3%, 80.6% ± 3.9%, 77.2% ± 5.0%, 77.2% ± 5.0%, and 70.2% ± 8.1%, respectively. The longest follow-up period was 3,182 days (8.7 years). The occlusion rate for device-dependent SVGs tended to decrease as the number of patients accumulated.

CONCLUSIONS

The PAS-Port system provided acceptable SVG patency and clinical outcome for the early and midterm to long-term. There may be a learning curve for the use of PAS-Port device that affects the device-dependent SVG patency.

Partially anaortic clampless off-pump coronary artery bypass prevents neurologic injury compared to on-pump coronary surgery: a propensity score-matched study on 286 patients

Anaortic coronary artery bypass proved to prevent early neurologic injury compared to on-pump CABG. The Cardica PAS-Port(®) is a fully automated device that might be able to perform proximal aorto-venous anastomoses without an increased embolic risk. We evaluated early post-operative neurologic outcome in a matched population following clampless OPCAB (CCAB: either "all-arterial" or with automatically anastomosed venous grafts) or on-pump CABG. 366 consecutive patients were submitted to isolated coronary bypass by a single surgeon experienced in both off and on-pump procedures between January 2009 and December 2013. Of these patients, 223 underwent a clampless off-pump revascularization. After propensity score matching, 143 pairs were selected, who received either off-pump or on-pump surgery. In the off-pump group, CCAB was performed with an all-arterial approach (n = 33) or with automated proximal anastomosis of the venous graft(s) by means of the Cardica PAS-Port(®) connector (n = 110). Neurologic injury was defined as non-reversible (NRNI: lethal coma or stroke) or reversible (RNI: TIA or delirium). Operative mortality was 2.4 % (CCAB 1.4 %; CABG 3.5 %; p = 0.14). The global rate of early neurologic injury was 5.6 % (CCAB 2.1 vs. CABG 9.1 %; p = 0.006). Incidence was 1.4 % for NRNI (CCAB 0 vs. CABG 2.8 %; p = 0.04) and 4.2 % for RNI (CCAB 2.1 vs. CABG 6.3 %; p = 0.06). No differences were found among other major perioperative outcomes. CCAB prevents both early post-operative RNI and NRNI. This result can be achieved with a totally anaortic strategy and also with the aid of a fully automated device for proximal aorto-venous anastomoses.

Morphological Evaluation of Proximal Anastomosis by PAS-Port(®) System in Patients with Long-Term Patent Grafts

PURPOSE

We examined grafts employing for morphological analysis of early and long-term results on proximal anastomosis with the PAS-Port(®).

METHODS

One hundred and four patients treated by OPCAB with PAS-Port(®) were performed postoperative MDCT. Morphological evaluation of the proximal anastomotic region was classified into three groups (A; graft was anastomosed almost perpendicularly to the aortic wall, B; graft was same type A, but subsequently curved to form an acute angle with the aortic wall, C; graft take off acute angle with the aortic wall) evaluated on planar and sagittal sections.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-six PAS-Port(®) were used. Patency rate was 99.0% at discharge, 94.7% at 1 year, and no blockages were detected thereafter in patients examined. The morphology rate was A 50.6%, B 15.3% and C 34.1% on planar sections, and A 58.8%, B 10.6% and C 30.6% on sagittal sections.

CONCLUSION

The morphological evaluation of grafts revealed the degree of freedom in graft design to be relatively high and long-term patency posed no particular problem even if the layout of the proximal anastomotic region involved a relatively acute angle. The PAS-Port(®) was considered to be a highly reliable device which performed appropriate proximal anastomosis and improved the patency of vein grafting to the aortic wall.

Five-year clinical outcome and patency rate of device-dependent venous grafts after clampless OPCAB with PAS-port automated proximal anastomosis: the PAPA Study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate long-term clinical performance and angiographic patency of automated proximal venous anastomoses following clampless coronary artery bypass (C-CAB).

METHODS

Observational study in patients submitted for isolated C-CAB and at least one proximal aortosaphenous anastomosis performed with an automated connector (Cardica PAS-Port) including 152 consecutive patients (165 devices and 199 device-dependent distal anastomoses), with LVEF > 30% and saphenous vein diameter of 4-6 mm. Clinical follow-up was 96% complete (4101/4269 pt-months). Graft patency rate was assessed with 64-slice CT-scan or coronary angiography. Freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) was reported as actuarial probability with 95% confidence limits and venous graft patency as actual rate at every year interval.

RESULTS

Early operative mortality was 1.9%; incidence of neurologic injury was zero. Freedom from MACCE was 92.7 ± 2.1 at one year and 85.2 ± 4.8 at five years. The actual patency rate of device-dependent venous grafts was 90%, 85%, 84%, 84%, and 93% for one-, two-, three-, four-, and five-year-old grafts, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The device is a well-performing system for proximal anastomoses. The incidence of neurologic complications seems to be reduced with this clampless approach. The high patency rate is stable over time.

Anastomotic devices in coronary artery surgery: it is about the anastomosis?

Excellent long-term graft patency remains the primary goal of any surgical coronary revascularization procedure, irrespective of how the operation itself is performed. Inter- and intra-surgeon variability in the surgical technique and in the subsequent quality of the anastomosis have the potential to significantly impact not only on graft patency but also, as a result, on patient outcomes. Anastomotic devices, proximal and distal, can facilitate the creation of rapid, reproducible, compliant anastomoses, on- or off-pump, in potentially difficult-to-access areas, often through minimal-access incisions, potentially with neuro-protective benefits, and can thus mitigate some of the hazards inherent in manually constructing anastomoses in technically challenging or suboptimal conditions. We review the three most commonly employed anastomotic devices in adult cardiac surgical practice today.