Nanoscale radiofrequency control technology for endoscopic radial artery harvesting: a case report

A recent revival in the use of the radial artery for bypass surgery stimulated the development of minimally invasive harvesting techniques since the endoscopic approach has several advantages when compared to the open technique. A novel nanoscale radiofrequency-controlled device has been recently introduced in the surgical armamentarium as a vesselsealing system, albeit to date it has been mainly used in the urological setting. To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature about the use of such an innovative device for endoscopic harvesting of the radial artery, along with a stainless steel resterilizable retractor conventionally used for endoscopic vein harvesting.