Vein harvesting by long blunt and blind dissection. A standardized technique in the dog

A standardized method for harvesting veins from dogs is described. It involves skeletization of the vein and its collaterals by longitudinal blind and blunt dissection, thus separating the vein from its surroundings. This is followed by elevation and cutting of the subdermal tissue with an electrosurgical pencil. The method was found to be faster and less traumatic than the prevailing method which involves cutting the skin with a longitudinal incision and dissection of the vein in small increments.