Procedure

The no-touch technique of harvesting the saphenous vein for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

^a Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden
^b Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Anis Rassi Hospital, Goiânia, Brazil
^c Department of Laboratory Medicine, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden

^* Corresponding author: Dr. Domingos S.R. Souza, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Örebro University Hospital, SE-701 85 Örebro, Sweden. Tel.: +46 19 6025204 (Office); +46 19 247151 (Home); fax: +46 19 6113943. domingos.souza{at}orebroll.se

A new ‘no-touch’ (NT) technique of saphenous vein (SV) preparation for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery was developed where the vein is harvested with a pedicle of surrounding tissue, which protects the vein from spasm therefore obviating the need for distension. The adventitial layer and the structures contained within the cushion of surrounding tissue possess both mechanical and functional properties that protect the vein from spasm and ischemia. In addition, the surrounding tissue supports excessively long vein grafts and prevents kinking. A detailed description of the technique is presented and this is the first time we publish the technique as a videoclip.

Key Words: CABG • No-touch technique • Saphenous vein harvesting