How is Endoscopic Radial Artery Harvesting Performed?
An endoscope, a special instrument used to view the artery, is connected to a video camera and inserted through the small incisions in the forearm. The endoscope allows the surgeon to remove the artery with minimal stress to the forearm. Patient Benefits from Endoscopic Radial Artery Harvesting The potential benefits from this procedure include the following: • The patient should experience less tissue scarring. • The site of the patient’s incision should be less painful. • The recovery from surgery should be shorter, allowing the patient to concentrate on cardiac rehabilitation. In most cases the radial artery can be harvested successfully. However, every patient is unique, and the surgical team will recommend the best procedure for each patient. It is important to remember that the goal of any bypass surgery is to increase blood flow to the heart’s arteries.
