Measuring alignment of the hindfoot.

In subtalar arthrodesis operations, correction of the hindfoot alignment is performed in about half of the cases. To improve the quality of the operation, a measurement system was developed which reliably measures the hindfoot angle pre-, per-, and postoperatively. This device was evaluated by measuring subjects in standing weightbearing position and in prone nonweightbearing position.

Permanent wall stretching in porcine coronary and internal mammary arteries.

Background: Anastomotic connectors may induce substantial arterial wall deformation and, hence, wall injury. We studied arterial wall damage and repair after sustained large longitudinal elongation in the porcine coronary and internal mammary arteries in vivo.

Methods: A stretch device that elongates a part of the artery by 80% was implanted in 8 pigs.

Coronary anastomotic devices: blood-exposed non-intimal surface and coronary wall stress.

Objective: This study compares the area of blood-exposed non-intimal surface in device-constructed anastomoses with the conventionally sutured anastomosis and examines the technical feasibility of 0 blood-exposed non-intimal surface anastomosis configurations.

Methods: In the device-constructed anastomosis, blood-exposed non-intimal surface was estimated in all anastomosis configurations identified in truly new (ie, nonduplicate and nonrelated) patent applications and in anastomotic devices recently introduced by several institutions. In the sutured anastomosis, blood-exposed non-intimal surface area was estimated by analysis of previously investigated anastomoses.

Mechanical properties of porcine and human arteries: implications for coronary anastomotic connectors.

Background: To determine whether the pig is an appropriate experimental animal for studies on distal anastomotic connectors in coronary artery bypass surgery, the mechanical properties of young porcine and old human coronary and internal mammary arteries were compared within and beyond the physiologic range of strains.

Methods: Coronary arteries from 6 humans and 8 pigs were studied as well as internal mammary arteries of 3 humans and 6 pigs (human, aged 61 to 85 years; pig, 78.7 +/- 5.

Sutureless coronary anastomosis with an anastomotic device and tissue adhesive in off-pump porcine coronary bypass grafting.

Objective: In the search for a facilitated coronary artery anastomosis, we assessed the feasibility of a hybrid anastomosis technique that used a prototype anastomotic device with an extraluminal frame (crinoline-like) and octyl-cyanoacrylate adhesive.

Methods: During off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in pigs (n = 8), a left internal thoracic artery-right coronary artery anastomosis was constructed and evaluated during the operation and at 5 postoperative weeks. The anastomosis was examined by flow measurement, angiography, intraluminal cast geometric analysis, and histologic analysis.