Deep pericardial suture vs apical suction for off-pump bypass grafting.

Hemodynamic changes during heart luxation and stabilization are major problems in off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. The hemodynamic effects of an apical suction device were compared with those of the classic posterior pericardial suture in 45 patients with multivessel coronary disease undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass. Mean age was 63.78 +/- 8.11 years; 31 patients were male and 14 were female. Transesophageal Doppler echocardiography was used for hemodynamic monitoring. All hemodynamic parameters were significantly better when the apical suction device was used to position the heart for anastomoses on the posterior descending and circumflex arteries.