Methodology and related medical devices for effectively bypassing a
blocked or partially blocked coronary artery and providing oxygenated
blood to the myocardium. A coronary artery bypass method utilizes a shunt
member. An upstream end portion of the shunt member is disposed in the
myocardium of a patient's heart so that the upstream end portion
communicates with the left ventricle of the patient's heart. An opposite
or downstream end portion of the shunt member is placed in communication
with a coronary artery of the patient downstream of a blockage in the
coronary artery. The shunt member extends into the coronary artery from
the myocardium either directly or indirectly with an intermediate or
middle portion of the shunt member being disposed in an intrapericardial
space of the patient, outside of the myocardium and outside of the
coronary artery. In a method for performing a myocardial
revascularization a passageway is formed at least partially through a
myocardium of a patient from an outer surface of the patient's heart,
with a surgical operation being performed at an outer end of the
passageway to permanently close the passageway at the outer end. The
passageway may extend though a posterior wall of a coronary artery and is
produced by forming an aperture in an anterior wall of the coronary
artery and forming the passageway in substantial alignment with the
aperture. The closure of the passageway is effectuated particularly by
closing the aperture in the anterior wall of the coronary artery.