["Insitutom RC": a new instrument for valve incision in in-situ vein bypass]

The "in situ" bypass technique was first used by Cartier in 1960. It has only slowly gained acceptance among vascular surgeons. In part this can be explained by the lack of an easy and reliable method to render vein valves incompetent. The instruments most widely used for this purpose have been developed by Hall, Gruss and Leather ("Valve Stripper", "Insitucut" and "Valve Cutter", respectively). Based on theoretical considerations and practical experience, we have developed a new instrument for the incision of vein valves: the Insitutom RC. Unlike other instruments, it allows rotation control of the cutting blade and thus enables the surgeon to incise the valve cusps more precisely and reliably.