Magnetic Anastomotic Connector for Bypass Surgery

A new method has been developed for creating a sutureless vessel anastomosis for use in coronary artery bypass surgery. The results of its use in a preliminary clinical trial were presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons in Ft. Lauderdale (FL, USA).

The anastomosis is created by using a magnetic vascular positioner (MVP), which uses magnetic attraction to form an instantaneous self-aligning, self-sealing connection between two blood vessels. This reduces many of the challenges currently limiting minimally invasive bypass surgery such as space constraints, lengthy procedure times, and difficulty of use. Interim results of the trial, involving 32 patients, showed a predischarge angiographic patency rate of 94%. The trial also demonstrated a 100% predischarge angiographic patency in the left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending coronary artery (LIMA to LAD) subset. The trial is being conducted at three leading European heart centers. MVP was developed by Ventrica, Inc. (Fremont, CA, USA), a medical device company.

"This technology has the potential to facilitate beating heart procedures in minimally invasive coronary bypass surgery by creating a high-quality, reproducible, and rapid
anastomosis,” said Volkmar Falk, M.D., Ph.D., who presented the data.




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