Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting During Coronary Bypass Surgery

Conventional open vein harvesting from the legs during coronary artery bypass surgery result in wound complications among 30% of the patients. Endoscopic harvesting decrease the complication rate, but it remains to be shown whether this is also a fact among patient in whom only short segments of veingraft material is needed from the leg. We hypothesise that the rate of wound complications will be reduced and the patient satisfaction will be increased also among patients in whom only short vein segments are endoscopically harvested compared to conventional open vein harvesting.

Preoperative demographic as well ass peri- and postoperative data are collected prospectively at 5-7 days and 1 month postoperatively. Wound complications are registered as well as post operative pain in the wound is evaluated using af visual analogue scale. Patients are evaluating the cosmetic results after wound healing.