The "no-touch" harvesting technique for vein grafts in coronary artery bypass surgery preserves an intact vasa vasorum.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to evaluate the impact of vein graft harvesting technique on structure and function of vasa vasorum.


METHODS
Paired segments of great saphenous veins harvested either with conventional harvesting technique or no-touch technique were obtained from 9 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Quantitative measurements, using immunohistochemistry and morphometry, were performed. Ultrastructural analyses of vasa vasorum were performed with electron microscopy. Video footage of superficial vasa vasorum in an implanted saphenous vein graft harvested with the no-touch technique was captured during a coronary bypass operation and is presented for online viewing.


RESULTS
The total area of vasa vasorum in vein grafts harvested with the conventional technique was significantly reduced both in the media (P = .007) and in the adventitia (P = .014) compared with vein grafts harvested with the no-touch technique. Ultrastructural findings indicated that the no-touch technique preserved an intact vasa vasorum whereas the conventional technique did not. Video footage showed retrograde flow in the vasa vasorum in vein graft harvested with the no-touch technique.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings show that the no-touch technique for saphenous vein graft harvesting for coronary bypass grafting preserves an intact vasa vasorum. This could represent one of the mechanisms underlying the improved patency of saphenous vein grafts harvested with this technique.
Dreifaldt
Mats
M
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden. mats.dreifaldt@orebroll.se
Souza
Domingos S R
DS
Loesch
Andrzej
A
Muddle
John R
JR
Karlsson
Mats G
MG
Filbey
Derek
D
Bodin
Lennart
L
Norgren
Lars
L
Dashwood
Michael R
MR
D000368:Aged; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000637:transplantation; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013548:Sweden; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000637:transplantation; D014654:Vascular Patency