1. Reinforcement of HeartMate II Bend Relief Connection: Champagne Bottle Technique 
Takeyoshi Ota, MD, PhD, Hiroo Takayama, MD, PhD, Zain Khalpey, MD, PhD, Yoshifumi Naka, MD, PhD 
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 
Volume 95, Issue 4, Pages e107-e108 (April 2013)
DOI: /j.athoracsur
Copyright © 2013 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

2. Fig 1
In the champagne bottle technique, the hooks are bent up like a J shape and serve as a stopper mechanism (arrow A).
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , e107-e108DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2013 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions

3. Fig 2
In the modified champagne bottle technique, care needs to be taken to twist the wire around the bend relief down, without kinking or torquing the outflow graft beneath the bend relief (arrow B).
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery  , e107-e108DOI: ( /j.athoracsur )
Copyright © 2013 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Terms and Conditions