Cardica's C-Port Anastomosis Systems Facilitate Beating Heart Bypass Surgery

Cardica, Genesis Medical Center reported results from a six-month economic analysis comparing the cost of off-pump, "beating heart" coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures, which were performed using the C-Port Distal Anastomosis Systems, with the cost of traditional on-pump CABG surgery. The study showed that beating heart CABG saved $1,684 per procedure, inclusive of the cost of the C-Port systems in the beating heart cases, compared to traditional bypass surgery.

"Importantly, with the C-Port systems we can reliably connect the graft vessels without stopping the heart, which improves patient outcomes, reduces costs and increases the pool of patients eligible for bypass surgery," said Dr. Nicholas Augelli, cardiovascular surgeon at Genesis Medical Center. "Before this study, the vast majority of CABG procedures at Genesis were performed on-pump. We have dramatically changed our practice after this study due to both the significant benefits to patients and reduced costs of beating heart CABG surgeries, and we are able to perform more beating heart procedures by using the C-Port system."

Genesis Medical Center in Davenport, Iowa conducted an economic analysis from July 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 to evaluate the cost of traditional on-pump to off-pump CABG procedures using the C-Port systems and other ancillary products to enable off-pump CABG. Drs. Nicholas Augelli and Robert Fietsam performed 78 off-pump procedures during the study, for a total savings of $131,352. In addition to an approximate operating room (OR) time savings of two hours with beating heart surgery, the study showed that the cost of beating heart procedures, which included the cost of the C-Port systems, were $14,905 versus $16,589 for on-pump, "arrested heart" surgery without the use of the C-Port systems. The average cost savings for beating heart procedures with the use of the C-Port systems was $1,684 over traditional bypass surgery without the C-Port system.

"This cost analysis coupled with our excellent patency results exemplifies the value of our C-Port systems to the patient, the physician and the hospital," said Bernard A. Hausen, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Cardica, Inc. "We believe the C-Port systems, which facilitate less invasive bypass procedures like beating heart CABG, have the potential to revolutionize the field of cardiothoracic surgery in the same way the sewing machine automated hand-stitching."