Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 15, 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
The no-touch vein graft for coronary artery bypass surgery preserves the left ventricular ejection fraction at
Benny Johansson1, Ninos Samano2, Domingos Souza2
1Department of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health , Örebro University , Örebro , Sweden.
Objectives:
To assess the left ventricular heart function and the clinical outcome 16 years after coronary artery bypass surgery.
Design:
In a randomised trial, the no-touch (NT) vein graft in coronary artery bypass surgery has shown a superior patency rate, a slower progression of atherosclerosis and better clinical outcome compared to the conventional (C) vein graft at 8.5 years. All patients at mean time 16 years were offered an echocardiographic and clinical examination.
Results:
In the NT-group 34 patients and in the C-group 31 patients underwent an echocardiography examination. A significantly better left ventricle ejection fraction was seen in the NT-group compared to the C-group (57.9% vs 49.4%; p=0.011). The size of the left atrium in NT was 21.7 cm(2) compared to 23.9 cm(2) in C; p=0.034. No patient in NT had atrial fibrillation compared to five patients in C (p=0.021). Patients with a brain natriuretic peptide value (BNP) ≥150 was 30% in NT compared to 38% in C. Total mortality was 25% in NT vs 27% in C. Cardiac-related deaths were 8% and 12% in NT and C respectively.
Conclusions:
The NT vein graft preserves the left ventricular ejection fraction after 16 years. A smaller left atrium, a lower BNP and no atrial fibrillation indicates an improved diastolic left ventricular function in the NT-group.
Trial Registration:
The study is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01686100) and The Research and Development registry in Sweden (no. 102841).
