title: Minimally invasive vein harvesting in femoropopliteal bypass surgery: does using an old technique give new perspectives? Short report of five patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Femoropopliteal bypass surgery is the most commonly performed type of peripheral bypass in vascular surgery. The great saphenous vein (GSV) is the preferred bypass conduit. Commonly used methods of GVS harvesting are related to morbidity, such as wound infection, skin necrosis, hematoma, and edema.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this feasibility study we present an "old-new" way of harvesting of the GSV by inversion stripping, which is significantly less invasive than conventional GSV harvesting, resulting in less morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients recovered uneventfully and all lower limb wounds healed with conventional wound management. No excessive bruising was seen in the VSM trail nor were there any surgical wound infections.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The inversion stripping of the GSV is an easy, safe, and minimally invasive harvesting technique for bypass surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Atrium Medical Center, Heerlen, The Netherlands. a.krasznai@atriummc.nl
authors.forename: Attila G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Krasznai
authors.forename: Lee H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Bouwman
authors.forename: Dennis E J G J
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dolmans
authors.forename: Rob J T J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Welten
authors.forename: Frans L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Moll
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*