Evaluation of a new device for the intraoperative assessment of coronary artery bypasses grafting.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate a new flow analyze device that can intraoperatively measure compliance and resistance of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) by the parameter identification method. METHODS Subjects were 95 patients who underwent CABG. Angiography soon after surgery confirmed patency in 90 grafts and graft failure in 5 grafts. Variables of aortic pressure and the graft flow were entered into this new device that includes a mathematical coronary circulation model to extrapolate other information the data; thus, we can estimate intraoperative flow rate, resistance, and compliance. Flow rate, resistance, and compliance were compared between patent and failed graft groups and among three different type grafts. RESULTS There were no differences in flow rate, resistance, and compliance among the three grafts types. Between the patent and failed graft groups, there were statistically significant differences in flow rate and resistance, and compliance tended to be lower for the failed graft group. CONCLUSIONS By measuring graft resistance and compliance, this new device is useful for evaluating graft performance during CABG.