Forty-Five–Degree Two-Stage Venous Cannula: Advantages Over Standard Two-Stage Venous Cannulation

We present a 45-degree two-stage venous cannula that confers advantage to the surgeon using cardiopulmonary bypass. This cannula exits the mediastinum under the transverse bar of the sternal retractor, leaving the rostral end of the sternal incision free of apparatus. It allows for lifting of the heart with minimal effect on venous return and does not interfere with the radially laid out sutures of an aortic valve replacement using an interrupted suture technique. (Ann Thorac Surg 1997;63:253–4)