Evaluation of a simplified saphenous vein procurement technique

Vein procurement technique is very important for the in vivo success of venous arterial bypass grafts. Historically, veins have been carefully dissected free of all excess connective tissue and the collateral vessels ligated. This has resulted in saphenous vein procurement being a very time- consuming enterprise, and few procurement groups have been willing to commit the time and effort required. In this study analysis of smooth muscle function is used to compare a relatively rapid en bloc vein procurement technique with the more time-consuming established technique. Sixty-four veins were procured by each technique. Veins procured by the en bloc technique and then prepared for transplantation in the laboratory demonstrated statistically significant greater smooth muscle function, as indicated by increases in maximum tensions generated in response to norepinephrine, serotonin, and KCl. Comparison of the median effective doses of these drugs demonstrated that there were no significant differences in sensitivity in veins procured by the two techniques. These results suggest that veins procured by the en bloc technique experience less tissue trauma and should perform better as vascular bypass grafts.