Back to Annual Meeting Posters

Objective
Our group started a programme of endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) in 2009 both with a view to reducing patient morbidity and increasing patient satisfaction. This study was designed to investigate the influence of introduction of EVH on short and medium-term mortality and morbidity.
Methods
A retrospective review of prospectively collected data for all patients undergoing isolated CABG between September 2008 and November 2011 was undertaken comparing patients that underwent open vein harvest (OVH) with EVH.
Results
A total of 402 patients underwent EVH and 289 patients OVH. There was a higher presence in the EVH group of diabetes mellitus (53.5% vs 29%, P=0.001), moderate to severe LV impairment (19.6% vs 13.7%, p=0.001), urgent/emergency surgery (62.6% vs 36.3%, p=0.001) and a higher logistic Euroscore (2.98±2.6 vs 2.71±2.5, p=0.02). Mortality rates were similar between the two groups (1.2% vs 1.0%, p=0.8). Post operative complications were lower in the EVH group with 0% donor site infection rate compared to 2.4% for OVH (p=0.002) and 20.1% incidence of AF vs 28.3% (p=0.01). Rates of stroke, bleeding and sternal wound infections were similar in the two groups. Use of EVH did not prolong the length of operation, bypass or cross-clamp times when compared to OVH (231.9±43.3 vs 227.1±44.4; 96.3±29.6 vs 102.2±28.4 and 50.7±16.3 vs 54.6±15.2 respectively). Mid-term mortality data was collected from the UK Personal Demographics Service and showed a survival of 97% in both groups over a mean follow-up period of 19 months. Of all patients followed up by telephone interview, patient satisfaction with EVH was high and no patients reported recurrent angina or repeat coronary angiography.
Conclusion
In summary, EVH in contemporary coronary revascularization practice has comparable short and mid-term mortality to OVH and lower morbidity, as demonstrated by abolition of donor wound infection in our experience.