Long-term clinical outcome of the symmetry aortic connector system in off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

Background Several short-term and midterm follow-up studies of the Symmetry aortic connector system showed controversial results. The objective of the present study was assessing the long-term clinical outcome of patients operated with the Symmetry device and to compare the results with hand-sewn control patients. Methods A retrospective case-control study of 156 (46 cases, 110 controls) consecutive patients, that underwent off-pump coronary revascularization, between January 2001 and December 2004, was conducted. Study endpoints were all-cause mortality, coronary reintervention and postoperative stroke. Results There was no difference in survival between cases and controls (89.1 vs. 82.4%, p = 0.27) after 8 years of follow-up. No significant difference could be detected between cases and controls with respect to overall long-term coronary reintervention free survival (82.6 vs. 88.9%, p = 0.41) and freedom from coronary reintervention due to proximal vein graft failure (91.3 vs. 96.3%, p = 0.24). The use of Symmetry device could not be identified as independent risk-factor of coronary reintervention due to proximal vein graft failure (p = 0.25). Furthermore, postoperative stroke rates were comparable between cases and controls (0.0 vs. 0.9%, p = 1.00). Conclusion This study suggests that the use of the Symmetry Bypass Connector was not associated with adverse outcome in terms of overall survival, long-term coronary reintervention free survival, freedom from reintervention due to proximal vein graft failure and postoperative stroke.

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