What is endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH)?
During coronary artery bypass graft surgery, a surgeon takes a segment of a healthy blood vessel (an artery or vein) from another part of the body and uses it to create a detour or bypass around the blocked portion of the coronary artery. That process is called graft harvesting. Traditionally, vein harvesting is accomplished through a lengthy surgical incision in the leg (see Figure 7). But in recent times leading surgeons have been practicing a minimally invasive procedure called Endoscopic Vein Harvesting – EVH (see Figure 8). EVH requires one to three small incisions, each less than 1 inch in length. With this less invasive technique, the surgeon removes the vein with the aid of a special video camera, or endoscope. The advantages of endoscopic vein harvesting go beyond faster recovery and avoiding a long leg scar. Patients undergoing EVH are less likely to experience events like wound complications, swelling, leg pain and infection. Obese persons, diabetics and patients suffering f
