A surgical technique is described in which a saphenous vein graft is used to reconstruct the jugular vein in horses with facial oedema due to post thrombophlebitic stenosis of the jugular vein. The saphenous vein was harvested from the contralateral limb and implanted in the occluded vein by 2 side-to-end ...

Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is a principal event in neointima formation in saphenous vein-coronary artery bypass grafts. Since endothelin-1 (ET-1) promotes VSMC replication and ET-1 receptor antagonists inhibit neointima formation in arterial injury models, it is reasonable to propose that ET-1 may be involved in neointima formation ...

Aneurysms of aortocoronary saphenous bypass grafts are an unusual and rare complication of coronary artery bypass surgery. Approximately 30 such cases have been reported in the literature. Atheromatous aneurysms usually appear late (more than 10 years after grafting). They are usually asymptomatic, but may manifest for investigation as a lesion ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of PTFE grafts with a distal vein cuff as a conduit for below-knee (BK) popliteal and distal bypass in the absence of autologous vein. DESIGN: Retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty below BK popliteal and distal bypass procedures in 39 patients with PTFE and distal ...

Aortocoronary saphenous vein graft disease, with its increasing clinical sequelae, presents an important and unresolved dilemma in cardiological practice. During the 1st month after bypass surgery, vein graft attrition results from thrombotic occlusion, while later the dominant process is atherosclerotic obstruction occurring on a foundation of neointimal hyperplasia. Although the ...

PURPOSE: Although saphenous vein is the most reliable conduit for arterial interposition procedures in the coronary circulation, graft thrombosis remains a clinical problem. We hypothesized that an important factor in early graft thrombosis is sudden change in the hemodynamic environment of the vein as it is placed in the coronary ...

An elderly woman underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, which was followed 1 month later by pseudoaneurysmal rupture at the distal anastomosis of a saphenous vein graft. Emergency repair of the suture line dehiscence was made, and the postoperative course was uneventful. Pseudoaneurysm formation of a saphenous vein graft after coronary ...

OBJECTIVES: To assess the sensitivity of saphenous vein to potassium channel opening drugs (KCOs). METHODS: Saphenous vein, harvested at bypass surgery or high ligation for correction of varicose veins, was exposed to an in vitro flow circuit and vasomotor responses assessed by organ bath pharmacology. OUTCOME MEASURES: Effective drug concentrations ...

A technique is described for minimally invasive harvesting of the greater saphenous vein. This technique requires no new or disposable equipment, thus adding no additional cost to the procedure. It is rapid and reliable, and it can be performed in the majority of patients requiring greater saphenous vein for coronary ...

PURPOSE: To report a minimally invasive approach to popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA) treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS: A 48-year-old male with a 3-cm PAA was treated electively with an endovascular in situ saphenous vein bypass and transluminal antegrade coil embolization of the PAA prior to completion of the proximal anastomosis. Two ...

PURPOSE: Greater saphenous veins removed at surgery for correction of venous dysfunction have few valves. Those that are present may be shrunken, deformed, or monocuspid. This study was carried out to determine whether leukocyte infiltration is associated with valve damage. METHODS: Seventeen specimens were removed at surgery from five men ...

We report herein the case of an 80-year-old woman who underwent successful redo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for a saphenous vein graft aneurysm found 10 years after her initial operation. On presentation, coronary angiography (CAG) revealed aneurysmal dilatation of the saphenous vein graft and severe stenosis of the left ...

The regional distribution of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and its receptor subtypes (ETA and ETB) in porcine saphenous vein into carotid artery interposition grafts was studied 1 month after surgery and compared to ungrafted saphenous vein and carotid artery. ET-1 immunoreactivity was identified by immunohistochemistry and ET receptor subtypes were studied using ...

The concept of vein quality has been slow to gain widespread acceptance, but an increasing body of evidence suggests that vein quality is relevant to the success of bypass grafting for peripheral vascular disease. The angioscope represents an additional tool for monitoring and preparing vein grafts during infrainguinal revascularisation. Within ...

In the surgical treatment of aneurysms of the upper cervical portion of the internal carotid a., exclusion of the affected vascular segment combined with an extra-anatomic cervico-petrous bypass using a vein graft (great saphenous v.) may be considered. One of the problems specific to these extra-anatomic bypasses is associated with ...

The saphenous vein cutdown has long been a mainstay for venous access in the trauma patient. During the past several years, however, its popularity and frequency of use have declined markedly. Percutaneous femoral catheterization using the Seldinger approach has essentially replaced the cutdown as the method of choice for gaining ...

The occurrence of fresh thrombus during percutaneous coronary interventions, especially in patients with diffusely diseased saphenous vein bypass grafts is associated with an increased incidence of procedural complications and clinical events. The AngioJet Rapid Thrombectomy Catheter was designed to remove thrombus via a Bernoulli effect induced vacuum. Here we report ...

Revascularization for arterial stenosis in varied anatomic sites exposed to therapeutic radiation has been well described. In most circumstances, symptomatic end organ ischemia has been the indication for surgical intervention. We report the case of a patient who had symptomatic carotid stenosis 40 years after having ipsilateral neck dissection with ...

PURPOSE: Posterolateral thigh perforator (PLTP) veins are part of the lateral thigh venous system, which in most people remains undeveloped. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of these veins. METHODS: Over the past 6 years, 2820 lower limbs with signs and symptoms of chronic venous ...

OBJECTIVE: To review the mechanisms believed to be important in the development of vein graft stenosis, with particular attention placed on the adaptation of saphenous vein endothelium to a new haemodynamic environment. DESIGN AND METHODS: Discussion based on review of published research. RESULTS: The aetiology of vein graft stenosis remains ...

Transluminal extraction catheter atherectomy has been shown to be a clinically effective interventional technique for the treatment of thrombotic degenerative saphenous vein bypass grafts. We will report the first case of detachment of transluminal extraction catheter cutter head from the shaft and its successful retrieval during a saphenous vein bypass ...

A technique of greater saphenous vein harvesting for coronary artery revascularization using an endoscopic approach is herein detailed. The saphenous vein is directly identified at the knee through a single incision. An endoscopic dissector is advanced proximally and distally along the course of the vein, ligating side-branches with clips. The ...

Creation of alternative vascular conduits has been one of the most challenging subjects in the history of vascular surgery. In the past, afferent arteriovenous fistulas have been used by vascular surgeons to rescue ischaemic extremities. We have undertaken a comprehensive investigation to characterize arterialization of the venous system at different ...

PURPOSE: Saphenous vein harvesting remains a significant source of morbidity that occurs in 1% to 24% of patients who require lower extremity bypass or coronary artery bypass grafting. In an attempt to reduce complications associated with this procedure, we have used a new, minimally invasive technique to remove the greater ...

We present a case of a patient who experienced recurrent angina 15 months after coronary bypass surgery. A single lesion distal to a graft anastomosis was identified in the posterolateral coronary artery. There were two severe angulations, each greater than 90 degrees proximal to the lesion, with access possible only ...

BACKGROUND: No previous study has examined the immune and inflammatory mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of lower extremity cellulitis after saphenous venectomy for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the histopathologic, immunologic, and inflammatory findings in skin biopsy specimens from saphenous venectomy limbs of patients ...

Cortical venous reconstruction using saphenous vein graft was performed in a patient during a procedure for meningioma removal. A cortical vein passing by the tumour was accidentally sacrificed during the dural opening. Before tumour removal the cortical vein was reconstructed with a 2-cm length of saphenous vein graft. Intraoperative venous ...

OBJECTIVES: Pre-existing unsuspected wall changes in saphenous vein grafts have been implicated in the graft outcome. Pre-bypass assessment of the vein may identify grafts at high risk for failure. This study was conducted to evaluate preoperatively the quality of the long saphenous vein (LSV) wall with ultrasound and histology. DESIGN: ...

Although the use of arterial conduit has decreased the amount of saphenous vein required for routine coronary artery bypass grafting, the saphenous vein as a bypass conduit remains an essential component of most practices. We describe the technique of endoscopic vein harvest that, in our initial experience with 30 patients, ...

Lesser saphenous vein grafts have become an important element in limb salvage surgery. Their location frequently dictates that the graft be translocated for use. This incurs the disadvantages of ischemia and increased manipulation of the graft and loses the advantages of an in-situ bypass. The use of the lesser saphenous ...

We examined the relation of an ischemic syndrome with the progression of coronary disease early (<3 years) after multiple bypass grafting utilizing an internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts. Data indicate that an ischemic syndrome is associated with progression of native coronary disease distal to the graft or total ...

Adaptation of saphenous vein to the hemodynamic stresses of the arterial circulation is critical to the maturation of vein bypass grafts. We have investigated early adaptive responses of venous endothelium by placing excised human saphenous vein in a bypass circuit with either venous or arterial flow conditions, using external stenting ...

The role of intraoperative angioscopy continues to evolve. To better define the role of angioscopy in vascular surgery, a review of the recent literature was performed. The most well-established indication for angioscopy is preparation of the saphenous vein for in situ bypass; however, angioscopy has also been demonstrated to be ...

OBJECTIVES: To develop an in vitro model of human saphenous vein bypass to facilitate study of the early adaptive responses of venous endothelium to arterial flow conditions. DESIGN MATERIAL AND METHODS: Segments of human saphenous vein (with or without external polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) stents to limit circumferential and radial deformation) were ...

BACKGROUND: Preparation of the great saphenous vein for coronary artery bypass grafts is traditionally performed through one or many long cutaneous incisions. We describe the dissection of the great saphenous vein through small cutaneous incisions using the Mini Harvest System. METHODS: The device is composed of a retractor coupled to ...

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to determine the use of bifurcated and not reversed saphenous vein in different cases. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report two cases treated in the department of vascular surgery (Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy) in which different arterial tracts had to be revascularized at the same time using ...

OBJECTIVES: The severity of pre-existing pathological changes in human saphenous vein (HSV) correlates with the development of vein graft stenosis and graft patency. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of pre-existing intimal hyperplasia on development of the neointima in vitro, using an organ culture model. MATERIALS ...

We demonstrate, using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, that, whereas abdominal aorta from rabbit consists almost entirely of myosin heavy chain (MHC) mRNA with no insert at the 5'-terminal coding region, the distributing arteries (femoral and saphenous) begin to show MHC mRNA with the 21-nucleotide insert that encodes seven amino acids ...

Aortocoronary bypass conduits derived from saphenous veins usually develop diffuse intimal thickening, one of the major causes of haemodynamically relevant graft stenosis. To elucidate the role of smooth muscle cell proliferation in late graft failure, specimens from highly stenotic or occluded vein grafts implanted into the arterial circulation for more ...

BACKGROUND: Cryopreserved veins are used as conduits for myocardial revascularization. However, a high failure rate associated with their use has been reported anecdotally. METHODS: To find an explanation for the poor performance of cryopreserved vein grafts, we conducted a retrospective 5-year study on all patients at a single institution in ...

PURPOSE: The treatment of permanent and benign iliac vein occlusion responsible for acute vein thrombosis or chronic symptoms remains controversial. Different methods of reconstruction using a reinforced expanded polytetrafluoroethylene bypass graft associated with an arteriovenous fistula and their intermediate-term results are analyzed. METHODS: Eight consecutive patients (six men, two women; ...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of everted cervical veins used as patches after carotid endarterectomy. METHODS: A prospective nonrandomized comparative analysis was performed on patients with either everted cervical veins or saphenous veins as patches after carotid endarterectomy. Two hundred ninety-six patients underwent ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this report is to show the imaging characteristics of saphenous vein graft aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms. Conventional radiographic, CT, and coronary angiography images were reviewed for three patients ranging from 64 to 69 years old who had documented saphenous vein graft aneurysms or pseudoaneurysms. CONCLUSION: Saphenous vein ...

BACKGROUND: This study was a retrospective review of 19 patients with popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) treated in a 20-year interval. METHODS: The Heidelberg classification of PAES was used, which differentiates three categories of entrapment: in type I the popliteal artery has an atypical course, in type II the muscular ...

The distal popliteal artery and proximal crural vessels represent common locations for atherosclerotic occlusive disease, especially in the diabetic subpopulation. Symptoms such as pain at rest, distal ulceration, and gangrene are associated with a high risk of limb loss unless arterial flow can be restored. Surgical revascularization is the most ...

After carrying out the first free vein graft transplantation on an aneurysm of the axillary vein by Lexer in 1907, many attempts were made to reconstruct arterial injuries with direct vascular suture technique or vein graft transplants during the Balkan War (1912) and the First World War (1914-1918). Hans von ...

BACKGROUND: A high proportion of autologous saphenous vein grafts occlude as the result of intimal thickening. Blood vessels synthesize substances that may inhibit such intimal thickening. These include cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which are stimulated by prostacyclin and nitric oxide, respectively. The prostacyclin-cAMP and nitric ...

The early postoperative results of 44 surgically treated popliteal arterial injuries from the Yugoslav civil war are reported. Of these patients, 41 (93%) were males and three (7%) were females, average age was 28 (range 6-45) years. Twenty patients (45%) had gunshot wounds and 24 (55%) explosive wounds. Twelve (28%) ...

BACKGROUND: The impairment of the synthesis and release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors may be related to the high incidence of atherosclerosis and occlusion in saphenous vein grafts. This study focused on the effect of surgical preparation on one of the endothelium-derived relaxing factors, endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor, in the human saphenous ...

OBJECTIVE: Aprotinin reduces postoperative bleeding and the need for transfusion after cardiopulmonary bypass. The current clinical concern about aprotinin is that it may increase the incidence of postoperative graft thrombosis and thromboembolic phenomena. The fact that the mechanism of action of aprotinin is not completely elucidated and that its effects ...