[Coronary artery bypass grafting under the excellent heart exposure provided by the use of the coronary artery exposing tape].

We have used the coronary artery exposing tape devised by Akio Matsuura in 93 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. We could perform graft anastomosis more easily and safely by the use of this tape than by the conventional simple compression method of the heart with the gauzes. The heart was lifted anteriorly with the rotation by the tape pulled to the left side or to the caudal side. The right coronary artery branches were exposed excellently by the simple traction of the tape to the caudal side. The circumflex coronary artery branches were well exposed by one tape pulled to the left side and another tape to the right side over the heart with the counterclockwise rotation of the heart. In these procedures no complication was encountered in association with the traction of this tape.