Histological evaluation of skeletonized internal thoracic artery using ForceTriad™.

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• The internal thoracic artery (ITA) is a critical graft in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
• Skeletonization enhances ITA graft quality but typically requires expensive ultrasonic scalpels.
• High costs associated with ultrasonic scalpels necessitate exploration of alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a new electrosurgical cautery device, ForceTriad™, compared to an ultrasonic scalpel for ITA skeletonization.
• To determine if ForceTriad™ offers a cost-effective alternative for ITA harvesting.

Main Methods:

• Bilateral internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) were harvested from eight pigs using skeletonization.
• One ITA per pig was harvested using an ultrasonic scalpel, the other using the ForceTriad™.
• Macroscopic and histological examinations assessed graft quality and thermal injury.

Main Results:

• Harvesting times were comparable between the ultrasonic scalpel and ForceTriad™.
• Macroscopic examination showed no significant differences in ITA samples.
• Histological analysis revealed similar degrees of thermal injury and preserved normal structure in all harvested ITAs.
• The ForceTriad™ demonstrated a cost saving of US$ 226.82 per patient.

Conclusions:

• The ForceTriad™ is an equally effective alternative to ultrasonic scalpels for ITA skeletonization.
• This electrosurgical device offers significant cost savings without compromising graft quality.
• ForceTriad™ represents a viable, economical option for skeletonized ITA harvesting in CABG procedures.