Functional properties of the saphenous vein harvested by minimally invasive techniques.
BACKGROUND
Since surgical techniques affect the functional properties of the vessel wall, the present study investigated the influence of minimally invasive harvesting techniques on the vascular reactivity of the saphenous vein.


METHODS
Saphenous vein remnants were obtained after aortocoronary bypass operation from patients subjected to conventional (n = 6), mediastinoscope-assisted (n = 4), or endoscope-assisted venectomy (n = 5). After preservation in University of Wisconsin solution (UW), ring preparations were mounted in a standard organ bath setup and concentration-response curves were constructed for phenylephrine, sodium nitroprusside, and acetylcholine.


RESULTS
Saphenous vein reactivity was not altered after preservation in UW. For the vein preparations harvested by means of the three venectomy methods, no differences were demonstrated for responses to KCl, phenylephrine, or sodium nitroprusside. The maximal endothelium-dependent acetylcholine-induced dilation of precontracted vein rings varied between 5% and 12%, independent of the surgical technique applied.


CONCLUSIONS
It was demonstrated that minimally invasive surgical techniques for harvesting the saphenous vein, which are developed to reduce postoperative complications at the site of explantation, did not affect the vascular reactivity in a different manner than the conventional method.
Rinia-Feenstra
M
M
Department of Pharmacotherapy, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. m.rinia@amc.uva.nl
Stooker
W
W
de Graaf
R
R
Kloek
J J
JJ
Pfaffendorf
M
M
de Mol
B A
BA
van Zwieten
P A
PA
D000368:Aged; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D014661:Vasoconstriction; D014664:Vasodilation
D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions