Endoscopic Harvesting of the Great Saphenous Vein with the Reusable KARL STORZ Retractor System

The use of bypass grafts in cardiac and vascular surgery is one of the most common operations. In addition to using the mammarian artery, the radial artery and the great saphenous vein are frequently used bypass grafts. Endoscopic removal of the great saphenous vein is a well-established technique during coronary artery bypass surgery and has been shown to offer advantages with respect to wound complications, reduced pain and improved aesthetics following surgery. Yet, the technique yields excellent results with respect to histological analysis of the harvested conduits. This video presentation demonstrate endoscopic harvesting of the great saphenous vein with the reusable KARL STORZ vein retractor, FREIBURG model, and the Ligasure® vessel sealing system.