Vein Excision(Vein Harvest)
by
Amy Scholten, MPH DefinitionVeins are sometimes used to replace arteries that are diseased. Removing them is called harvesting. Leg veins are often used for vein harvesting. For open chest procedures, like coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), veins or other blood vessels in the chest are often used. Reasons for ProcedureVein grafts are most often used to channel blood flow around blocked arteries.
Possible ComplicationsProblems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:
Things that may raise the risk of problems are: What to ExpectPrior to ProcedureThe surgical team may meet with you to talk about:
AnesthesiaThe doctor will give general anesthesia. You will be asleep. Description of ProcedureThe surgery will be done one of two ways: Open SurgeryA long incision will be made in the skin. It will expose the whole length of vein. Every branch of the vein will be tied off. The vein will be removed. The skin will be closed with stitches or staples. A bandage will be placed over the site. Endoscopic SurgeryTwo small incisions will be made at either end of the vein. A long, thin tool (endoscope) will be passed through one of the incisions. It has a camera that helps the doctor see the area. The tool will separate the vein from its branches and surrounding tissue. The vein will then be removed through the second incision. The incisions will be closed with stitches. A bandage will be placed over the site. How Long Will It Take?Vein harvesting is usually done at the same time as the main procedure. It does not add extra time. Will It Hurt?There may be some pain and discomfort after the procedure. Medicine and home care help. Average Hospital StayThe hospital stay depends on the main procedure. Vein excision will not add time to the stay. Post-procedure CareDuring your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to lower your risk of infection, such as:
There are also steps you can take to lower your risk of infection such as:
Call Your DoctorCall your doctor if you are not getting better or you have:
If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away. RESOURCES:American Heart Association http://www.heart.org National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov CANADIAN RESOURCES:Health Canada https://www.canada.ca Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada http://www.heartandstroke.ca References:Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/procedure/coronary-artery-bypass-graft-cabg-surgery. Accessed July 20, 2021. Coronary artery bypass grafting. Mid-Atlantic Surgical Associates website. Available at: ...(Click grey area to select URL) Accessed July 20, 2021. Zhang SZ, Wang GX, et al. The clinical application of microincision vein harvesting of the great saphenous vein in coronary artery bypass grafting. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2020;20(1):297. Last reviewed July 2021 by
EBSCO Medical Review Board
Michael J. Fucci, DO, FACC Last Updated: 7/21/2021 | |
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