Surgery Information: A New Procedure for Bypass Surgery
Endoscopic Vein Harvesting is a new procedure for use in coronary bypass surgery. Approximately 130,000 individuals undergo bypass surgery every year. Thomas C. Militano, MD, PhD, and Anjum G. Qazi, MD, cardiac surgeons at Washington Adventist Hospital, answer questions about the procedure and explain how patients who have coronary bypass surgery may benefit from this innovative procedure.
What is Endoscopic Vein Harvesting?
Endoscopic Vein Harvesting is anew, proven treatment for individuals who undergo coronary bypass surgery. When blockages occur in the heart's arteries, surgeons must remove the diseased areas and repair them with arteries or veins that are harvested from other areas of the patient's body.
Surgeons use the harvested arteries to replace the major arteries, such as the "left anterior descending artery," that feed a large territory of the heart. Harvested veins are used as the bypass grafts to replace branches of these major arteries.
How are veins harvested?
Vein harvesting occurs during the heart operation. With Endoscopic Vein Harvesting, there is a small incision, approximately 1 1/2 inches long, placed near the knee. A long instrument with a light and a Camera attached to it is inserted and passed along the saphenous (leg) vein enabling the surgeon to crop off side branches- that will be used to repair the heart.
Traditional harvesting of the saphenous vein involves a long incision sometimes traversing from groin to ankle. When there is a bigger incision, there can be a higher incidence of infection. In addition, the healing of the leg can take much longer - even longer than the healing of the chest - and there can be considerably more pain using the traditional technique.
How do the two techniques for vein harvesting compare?
Various studies indicate that Endoscopic Vein Harvesting is the preferred method to harvest veins for coronary bypass surgery. The rate of infection with Endoscopic Vein Harvesting is drastically reduced and there is much less swelling (edema) of the leg. It does not add to the length of the surgery or to the length of the hospital stay. There is also a dramatic reduction in pain. In addition, the incision behind the knee is barely noticeable, and the cosmetic effect is well received by patients.
How many patients have benefitedfrom this procedure at Washington Adventist Hospital?
About 1,000 patients have benefited from this relatively new procedure. To learn if you are a candidate for Endoscopic Vein Harvesting, ask your doctor.