A novel harvesting technique for a no-touch saphenous vein graft using the THUNDERBEAT device

The no-touch technique of saphenous vein harvesting involves harvesting the vein as a pedicled graft, together with its surrounding adipose tissue, while avoiding direct contact and excessive high-pressure expansion. This technique offers the possibility of comparable long-term graft patency to that of an internal mammary artery graft. However, the wound complications using the no-touch technique can be more significant than those using a conventional skeletonized technique. To solve the problem of leg wound trouble and to perform the no-touch saphenous vein harvesting more rapidly and efficiently, we have developed a new harvesting technique using a novel energy device, the THUNDERBEAT. This harvesting technique offers quicker tissue dissection, safer sealing of branch vessels, and fewer wound complications, without the risk of thermal damage to the graft.