Minimally invasive saphenous vein harvesting using the mayo vein
harvester. An alternative to endoscopic vein harvesting?
Abstract
The Great saphenous vein (GSV) has been widely used as a conduit for
Coronary artery bypass grafting. The GSV can be harvested using the open
or minimally invasive technique. Minimally invasive techniques are
growing in popularity due to better cosmetic and wound infection
outcomes. The most widely used method in minimally invasive technique is
via endoscopic approach. However, the cost of endoscopes and training
curve can limit its use. We describe an alternative minimally invasive
technique using a mayo vein harvester with a considerably lower cost,
and a smoother learning curve. Keywords: Saphenous vein harvesting, Mayo
vein harvester, Minimally invasive