Coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart: A simple technique for subluxating the heart

Coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart is becoming a widely a pplied procedure. It necessitates proper cardiac stabilization without impa irment of hemodynamics. We describe a simple and effective technique to bri ng the anterolateral coronary arteries to a midline position for the purpos e of performing a coronary artery bypass graft on the beating heart. A surg ical glove tied to a tube is positioned underneath the left ventricle. Inje ction of warm saline into the glove will gradually displace the heart and r otate the lateral wall of the ventricle to a midline position. In spite of our use of mechanical stabilizers to decrease mobility of the anastomotic s ite, compression of the left ventricle is avoided because the water bed cre ated by the injected glove absorbs the movement of the left ventricle and p revents its compression and any potential drop in cardiac output. (Ann Thor ac Surg 1999;67:870-1) (C) 1999 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.