An experimental model of saphenous vein-to-coronary artery anastomosis with the St. Jude medical stainless steel connector Hartzell V Schaff, MD, Kenton J Zehr, MD, Luis F Bonilla, MD, Lucas H Brennecke, DVM, Todd Berg, BS, Rick Cornelius, BS, Paul Hindrichs, BS, William Swanson, BS The Annals of Thoracic Surgery Volume 73, Issue 3, Pages 830-836 (March 2002) DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4975(01)03445-2
Fig 1 Connector and delivery system. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2002 73, 830-836DOI: (10.1016/S0003-4975(01)03445-2)
Fig 2 Connecting device loaded into the graft. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2002 73, 830-836DOI: (10.1016/S0003-4975(01)03445-2)
Fig 3 The connecting device is inserted axially into the coronary artery (A), and inflation of the balloon expands and shortens the connector (B). After the balloon and nosecone are removed, the distal portion of the graft is ligated close to the anastomosis (C). The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2002 73, 830-836DOI: (10.1016/S0003-4975(01)03445-2)
Fig 4 Angiography 30-days postoperatively demonstrates a widely patent anastomosis of a graft constructed with a connector. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2002 73, 830-836DOI: (10.1016/S0003-4975(01)03445-2)
Fig 5 Appearance of sutured and device-created anastomoses 30-days postoperatively. (LAD = left anterior descending coronary artery; LCX = left circumflex coronary artery.) The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2002 73, 830-836DOI: (10.1016/S0003-4975(01)03445-2)
Fig 6 Fibrous neointima covering the device with surrounding connective tissue in animals 1 and 5. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2002 73, 830-836DOI: (10.1016/S0003-4975(01)03445-2)