Sutureless Device Used by Prairie Physicians for First Time in Central Illinois

SPRINGFIELD -- Prairie Heart Institute at St. John's Hospital today announced that Dr.
William Stevens, Jr., a cardiothoracic surgeon with Prairie Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons, has performed the first central Illinois implant of the Symmetry Bypass System Aortic Connector, a
revolutionary sutureless anastomosis (connection) device for coronary bypass surgery (CABG). Dr. Stevens and his partner, Dr. Carl Arentzen, recently received training to use the device.

More than 700,000 CABG procedures are performed annually worldwide, requiring
multiple connections between the grafts and the aorta and coronary arteries of the heart. In CABG surgery, the anastomosis, or the suturing of the graft to the aorta and to the coronary artery, is
usually the most difficult, time consuming and critical part of the bypass procedure. The Symmetry Bypass System Aortic Connector allows saphaneous vein grafts to be attached to the aorta without sutures (stitches).

"Eliminating the need to clamp the aorta during surgery is expected to help significantly reduce the threat of stroke," says Dr. Arentzen. "This connector is unique enough that I suspect down the road it will change the way we do surgery." Estimates are that the threat of stroke following open heart procedures could dip as low as .5 percent when this device is used.

"The ability to perform quick, reproducible aortic anastomoses without clamping the aorta potentially offers major clinical advantages to our patients," says Dr. Stevens. "The evolution of this technology may ultimately lead to the elimination of cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic manipulation, facilitating true off-pump procedures."