2.2. Surgical Procedure
bleeding
BLEEDING
All grafts in the study were prepared by one resident of cardiac surgery, who harveste more than 100 vein grafts per year.Vein grafts were harvested through the longitudinal skin and subcutaneous incision, using the conventional and no-touch techniques. According to preoperative ultrasound mapping, we used the best part of the saphenous vein. In the conventional technique, perivascular tissue and fascia were sharply dissected with scissors, and a syringe with a manometer distended (pressure no more than 200 mmHg) the grafts with heparinized saline solution. In the NT group, grafts were harvested with intact perivascular tissue, fascia, adventitia, and fat pedicle. Syringe distension was not performed in this group; distension and a check for bleeding were performed using a catheter connected to the aortic cannula. The endoscopic technique was performed through the 1.5cm long skin incision using the VirtuoSaph plus endoscopic vessel harvesting open CO