Endoscopic Vein Harvesting—Is There a Role in Public Hospitals?

Introduction: Endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting (EVH) for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been demonstrated in the literature to be superior to the conventional open harvest technique in regards to reducing leg wound complications [ [1] Cheng D. Allen K.B. Cohn W. Connolly M. Edgerton J. Falk V. et al. Endoscopic vascular harvest in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: a metaanalysis of randomized clinical trials. Innov Technol Tech Cardiothorac Vasc Surg. 2005; 1: 61-74 Crossref Google Scholar ]. In recent times concerns have been raised over the possibility of increased rates of graft failure and adverse clinical outcomes in patients who have undergone EVH [ [2] Renato D. Lopes R.D. Hafley G.E. Allen K.B. Ferguson T.B. Peterson E.D. et al. Endoscopic versus open vein graft harvesting in coronary artery bypass surgery. NEJM. 2009; 361: 235-244 Crossref PubMed Scopus (284) Google Scholar ]. Although being performed widely in the private sector in Australia, EVH has been utilised infrequently in the public hospital setting. With this study we aimed to investigate the use of EVH in a public hospital setting with a view to confirming reduced rates of wound complications, investigating early clinical outcomes and perhaps better defining a role for this technique in the public hospital setting.