During coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), a segment of a healthy blood vessel (an artery or vein) is taken from another part of the body and used to create a detour or bypass around the blocked portion of the coronary artery. That process is called vein harvesting.
Traditionally, vein harvesting is accomplished through a lengthy surgical incision in the leg. However, a less invasive method called endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) is the preferred method of vein harvesting among centers that are properly equipped.
Traditional vein harvesting requires an incision to remove the blood vessel being used for the bypass graft, leaving the patient with a long scar. By contrast, EVH requires one to three small incisions, each less than one inch in length.
In addition to avoiding scar tissue, patients undergoing EVH are also less likely to experience complications and usually have shorter recovery times. Because of these advantages, more bypass procedures are being performed using endoscopic vein harvesting. Most people who require a bypass operation are candidates for EVH.<!– wp:acf/patient-information-slider {“name”:”acf/patient-information-slider”,”data”:{“field_63da8a36b7d10″:”conditions”,”field_63da7ad9b3e82″:”Conditions Treated”,”field_63da7ae4b3e83″:{“row-0”:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Aneurysm”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”A balloon-like bulge in an artery. If a bulge stretches the artery too far, the vessel can burst. Aneurysms can form in arteries of all sizes, but the most serious are those that affect the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to other parts of the body (aorta), the heart’s pumping chamber (ventricle) and arteries that supply blood to the brain.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-1″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Angina”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”A type of chest discomfort caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart. It may be experienced as tightness, heavy pressure, squeezing pain or crushing chest pain. The most common cause of angina is coronary artery disease, which is narrowing or blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-2″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Arrhythmias (Irregular Heartbeats)”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Disorders of heart rate or rhythm that include tachycardia (faster-than-normal heartbeat), bradycardia (abnormally slow heartbeat that may cause palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue and fainting), and atrial fibrillation (rapid, disorganized contractions of the heart’s upper chambers).”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-3″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Atherosclerosis”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”The buildup of fatty deposits, or plaques, in the arteries. The narrowing and stiffening of arteries due to plaque buildup can interfere with blood flow, causing pain in oxygen-starved organs. If a plaque in a coronary artery ruptures, it can cause heart attack or stroke.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-4″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Cardiomyopathy”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”When the heart’s muscle tone is damaged, impairing its ability to pump blood. The most common type is dilated cardiomyopathy, in which one or more of the heart’s chambers is enlarged and its pumping becomes less forceful. Other types include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, in which the walls of the heart muscle thicken, and restrictive cardiomyopathy, in which the heart muscle becomes more rigid.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-5″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Chest Pain”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Discomfort or pain along the front of the body between the neck and upper abdomen. Chest pain may be a symptom of a heart attack or coronary artery disease, but it may also occur due to asthma, pneumonia, muscle strain, anxiety or digestive problems such as heartburn, ulcers or gallstones.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-6″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Congenital Heart Disease”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Abnormalities in the heart’s structure and function that are caused by disordered or abnormal heart development before birth. While some abnormalities never cause any problems, many of these defects need to be followed carefully and require treatment such as medication or surgery. The most common congenital heart defect is a ventricular septal defect, a hole in the wall that separates the left and right ventricles of the heart.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-7″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Congestive Heart Failure”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”A condition in which the heart is weak and has lost some ability to pump blood. Symptoms include shortness of breath, persistent coughing or wheezing, fatigue and swelling in the feet, ankles, legs or abdomen.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-8″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Narrowing and hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the heart due to the buildup of plaque in the artery wall. CAD is the most common type of heart disease. The reduced blood flow to the heart can cause angina (chest pain) and heart attack and can contribute to heart failure and arrhythmias.\u0026lt;!\u002d\u002d wp:acf/text-w\u002d\u002dvideo-right {\u0022name\u0022:\u0022acf/text-w\\u002d\\u002dvideo-right\u0022,\u0022data\u0022:{\u0022field_64307e7a9dd3f\u0022:\u0022\u0022,\u0022field_64307e7a9dda3\u0022:\u0022https://vimeo.com/1051736453/236cdec430?share=copy\u0022,\u0022field_64307e7a9dde6\u0022:\u0022East Tennessee’s Trusted Choice for Heart and Vascular Care \u0022,\u0022field_64307e7a9de2a\u0022:\u0022\\u003cspan class=\\u0022TextRun SCXO70730773 BCX0\\u0022 lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 xml:lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 data-contrast=\\u0022none\\u0022\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022NormalTextRun SCXO70730773 BCX0\\u0022\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022TextRun SCXO199403129 BCX0\\u0022 lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 xml:lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 data-contrast=\\u0022auto\\u0022\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022NormalTextRun SCXO199403129 BCX0\\u0022\\u003eYour heart is more than a muscle \\u002d\\u002d it’s the lifebeat of your very being. If you experience unusual heart symptoms or a serious cardiac event, you need care you can trust, delivered in a compassionate environment by experienced medical professionals.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\r\\n\\r\\n\\u003cspan class=\\u0022TextRun SCXO70730773 BCX0\\u0022 lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 xml:lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 data-contrast=\\u0022none\\u0022\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022NormalTextRun SCXO70730773 BCX0\\u0022\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022TextRun SCXO199403129 BCX0\\u0022 lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 xml:lang=\\u0022EN-US\\u0022 data-contrast=\\u0022auto\\u0022\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022NormalTextRun SCXO199403129 BCX0\\u0022\\u003eAs East Tennessee’s leader in cardiac services, Covenant Health Heart Centers provide expert care to more than 107,000 heart patients throughout our region each year.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022EOP SCXO199403129 BCX0\\u0022\\u003e Our \\u003c/span\\u003enetwork of nine hospitals and 25 cardiology practices offers the latest advances in cardiology, including cardiac imaging, interventional cardiology, cardiovascular surgery, and rehabilitation.\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003c/span\\u003e\\u003cspan class=\\u0022EOP SCXO70730773 BCX0\\u0022\\u003e \\u003c/span\\u003e\u0022,\u0022field_64307e7a9de6e\u0022:{\u0022title\u0022:\u0022\u0022,\u0022url\u0022:\u0022\u0022,\u0022target\u0022:\u0022\u0022}},\u0022mode\u0022:\u0022edit\u0022} /\u002d\u002d\u0026gt;”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-9″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Heart Attack”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Sudden blockage of the supply of blood and oxygen to a portion of the heart muscle. Treatments for heart attack work to open the blocked artery and restore blood flow as quickly as possible to limit damage to the heart muscle.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-10″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Heart Murmur”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”A rasping, whooshing or blowing sound produced by turbulent blood flow through the heart valves or near the heart. Murmurs are most often caused by defective heart valves.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-11″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”High Cholesterol”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”A total cholesterol level above 240 is considered high cholesterol. Total cholesterol between 200 and 239 is considered borderline high. High cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease. Diet and medication can bring down cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease risk.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-12″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Hypertension, High Blood Pressure”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. Blood pressure of 120 to 139 systolic (the top number in a reading) or 80 to 89 diastolic (the bottom number) is considered prehypertension. Blood pressure above 139 systolic or above 89 diastolic is considered high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-13″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Atherosclerosis, or narrowing or blockage of arteries due to the buildup of fatty deposits, affecting the arteries that supply blood to the legs and feet.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}},”row-14″:{“field_63da7c84aeeed”:””,”field_63da7ca1aeeee”:”Valvular Heart Disease”,”field_63da7ea7aeeef”:”Any of the heart’s four valves (aortic, mitral, pulmonary, tricuspid) become damaged or diseased, preventing proper blood flow through the heart chambers and potentially leading to serious complications.”,”field_63da7edaf1010″:””,”field_63da7eb3aeef0″:{“title”:””,”url”:””,”target”:””}}}},”mode”:”edit”} /–>