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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Synergizing Antegrade Endoscopic with Bridging Vein Harvesting for Improvement of Great Saphenous Vein Graft Quality from the Lower Leg
Published on: November 19, 2019
CO(2) embolism during minimally invasive vein harvesting
Evgenij V Potapov1, Semih Buz, Roland Hetzer
1Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany. potapov@dhzb.de
Abstract:
CO(2) embolism is a known, though rare, complication of procedures using CO(2) insufflation. We report massive cardiac right atrial CO(2) embolism during minimally invasive harvesting of a varicose great saphenous vein. The patient's hemodynamics deteriorated significantly and needed to be stabilized by emergency institution of cardiopulmonary bypass. Causes of this rare but potentially lethal complication are discussed, as well as its prediction, diagnosis, and prevention.
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