No touch vein harvesting technique for CABG improves the long-term clinical outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the long-term clinical outcome, averaging 8.5 years, of two saphenous vein harvesting techniques for CABG; no touch (NT) versus conventional (C).


METHODS
In a randomized study, 49/52 in group NT and 44/52 in group conventional were evaluated for reangina, myocardial infarction, new revascularization, functional class, risk factors and medical treatment. The vein grafts and the native coronary arteries were correlated to the occurrence of reangina.


RESULTS
There were significantly more patients free from angina and in NYHA class I (67.3 versus 43.2%; p =0.02) in group NT compared to group C. No cardiac death was found in group NT versus three in group C. There were trends towards fewer patients with cardiac death or myocardial infarction (3.8 vs. 13.4%; p =0.16), more patients free from angina (75.5 vs. 63.6%; p =0.26) and fewer patients with graft occlusion (24.3 vs. 43.2% (p =0.14) in group NT.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the NT-technique are encouraging with no cardiac deaths, significantly more asymptomatic patients and a trend towards impact on hard clinical endpoints compared to the conventional technique.
Johansson
Benny L
BL
Department of Cardiology, Orebro University Hospital, Sweden.
Souza
Domingos S R
DS
Bodin
Lennart
L
Filbey
Derek
D
Bojö
Leif
L
D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D002932:Cineangiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D013997:Time Factors; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency