• N J Verberkmoes, M M Mokhles, S Bramer, A H M Van Straten, J F Ter Woorst, J G Maessen, and E Berreklouw.
• Department of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. niels.verberkmoes@catharina-ziekenhuis.nl
• J Cardiovasc Surg. 2013 Jun 1; 54 (3): 389-95.

AimThe PAS-Port® Proximal Anastomosis System (Cardica, Inc, Redwood City, CA, USA) has been used worldwide since March 2003. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of the PAS-Port® Proximal Anastomosis System.MethodsAll the patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in the Catharina Hospital Eindhoven between August 2006 and April 2010 were included in a non-randomized retrospective case-control study, if they had at least one proximal vein graft anastomosis. Study end-points consisted of overall survival, coronary reintervention and postoperative stroke.ResultsThe study included 312 patients (201 cases, 111 controls). After 36 months of follow-up there was no difference in survival between cases and controls (92.2% vs. 93.7%, P=0.52). No significant difference could be detected between cases and controls with respect to overall coronary reintervention-free survival (93% vs. 96.4%, P=0.20) and freedom from coronary reintervention due to proximal vein graft failure (98% vs. 100% P=0.14). The use of the PAS-Port system could not be identified as an independent risk factor of coronary reintervention (p=0.21). Postoperative stroke rates of cases and controls (2% vs. 0.9%, P=0.42) were comparable.ConclusionThe clinical outcomes in patients treated with the PAS-Port® Proximal Anastomosis System were satisfactory compared with those treated with the conventional hand-sewing technique. The use of the PAS-Port system was not associated with higher adverse outcome in terms of overall survival, stroke, coronary reintervention-free survival and freedom from reintervention due to proximal vein graft failure.

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