title: Novel no touch technique of saphenous vein harvesting: Is great graft patency rate provided?
abstract: Coronary artery bypass grafting surgery effectively relieves signs and symptoms of myocardial ischemia. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) graft is the gold standard having 90-95% patency rate at 10 years, whereas only 50% of saphenous vein (SV) grafts are patent at 10 years. However, there is a novel "no touch" technique in order to harvest an SV complete with its cushion of surrounding tissue, thus maintaining its endothelium-intact. Significantly superior short- and long-term graft patency rates comparable to LITA grafts can be achieved. Consequently, the SV may be revived as an important conduit in coronary artery bypass surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Ioannina, School of Medicine, 45500 Ioannina; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Athens "Evangelismos'', Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Papakonstantinou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Hospital of Athens "Evangelismos'', Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Baikoussis
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, School of Medicine, 45500 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goudevenos
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, School of Medicine, 45500 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital of Ioannina, School of Medicine, 45500 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Efstratios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Apostolakis
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014654:Vascular Patency; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*