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How To Do It

An Arterial and Venous Graft Holder for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Suleyman Demirel University Medical School, Isparta, Turkey

Accepted for publication January 8, 2008.

^_* Address correspondence to Dr Okutan, Bahcelievler M. 102 C. 59/1 Daloglu A. K:2 D:6, Isparta, 32200, Turkey (Email: hokutan{at}cardio.sdu.edu.tr).

An innovative arterial and venous graft holder has been developed for use during proximal and distal anastomosis in coronary artery bypass grafting. The device consists of a flexible arm and a handle. The handle in turn is composed of three parts: (1) a T-shaped body, (2) an atraumatic clip for holding the graft, and (3) a coronary probe attached by an adjustable fixation screw to the body. The handle can be used to easily hold the graft either by an assistant or attached to a flexible arm. The flexible arm can be used while attached to a standard sternal retractor or a railway sternal retractor. It facilitates opening the heel of the graft and stitching the most difficult angle of the anastomosis. This new instrument provides excellent exposure and a more comfortable anastomosis.