Segmental clamp and distal perfusion technique for reducing myocardial ischemia during coronary onlay grafting on a beating heart

We present a segmental clamp with distal perfusion technique to reduce myocardial ischemia during onlay grafting, on a beating heart. After a proximal coronary arteriotomy for 2–3 cm, the distal artery is perfused through a cannula, with femoral arterial blood (distal perfusion with external shunt). During proximal and distal coronary snare clamping with distal perfusion, onlay anastomosis is performed, from the heel toward the point of cannula insertion. We then move the proximal clamp to the onlay area and open the graft, to get early proximal coronary reperfusion. The arteriotomy is extended, and this procedure is repeated to achieve complete beating heart onlay anastomosis. We safely performed this procedure on the beating heart off-pump or on-pump in 95 patients with no perioperative myocardial infarction, no intraoperative hemodynamic deterioration, no 30-day mortality. This technique reduces regional myocardial ischemic and secures the safety for onlay grafting on the beating heart.