Percutaneous coronary intervention of grafts vessel is more challenging due to a higher incidence of periprocedural distal micro-emobilization and myocardial infarction. Percutaneous coronary intervention current guidelines advocate usage of distal embolic protection devices, especially in patients with a large thrombus burden, undergoing percutaneous intervention for vein graft disease. We pre...

Platelet survival time is frequently shortened in patients with coronary artery disease, and it is one of several factors that might contribute to graft occlusion after saphenous vein coronary artery bypass (CAB). In 35 patients with CAB, average platelet survival (autologous labeling with 51Chromium) was shortened in 20 with one or more saphenous vein grafts occluded and normal in 15 with all ...

OBJECTIVE To examine the safety and efficacy of endovenous laser obliteration to treat varicose vein in a day surgery setting, using sedation and local anaesthesia. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Day surgery centre in a regional hospital in Hong Kong. PATIENTS A total of 24 patients with duplex-confirmed long saphenous vein insufficiency underwent endovenous laser (940 nm) varicose vei...

BACKGROUND The safety and efficacy of arterial composite grafts for total arterial revascularization have been demonstrated. The saphenous vein (SV) is a widely used graft because of its accessibility, sufficient length, and ease of manipulation. Our aim was to compare mid-term outcomes of saphenous vein Y-grafts with radial artery Y-grafts joined by anastomosis to the left internal thoracic ar...

BACKGROUND Endovenous laser ablation (EVLA) is a treatment option for lower extremity varicose veins. In the present study, we investigate to the genetic changes and possibility of living tissue in the saphenous vein wall after the EVLA procedure. METHODS Eleven saphenous vein grafts were randomized in two groups: (1) 4 cm SVG segments of performed EVLA procedure in study group, (2) 4 cm segm...

OBJECTIVE Our main objective was to compare the in-hospital and long-term outcomes of saphenous vein graft stenting and native coronary artery stenting in patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS We studied 127 patients who had prior coronary artery bypass; they were divided in two groups, according to the kind of percutaneous coronary intervention performed. The first ...

BACKGROUND Distal embolization of plaque particulate liberated during stenting may cause periprocedural complications. The number, size, and volume of debris released during stenting, however, have not been quantified, rendering embolic protection approaches empiric. We used a novel method of microparticle size assessment to measure volume and characterize individual sizes of particles captured...

BACKGROUND Traditional great saphenous vein harvest for coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with a significant risk of impaired wound healing. Endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting (EVH) has been introduced in an effort to reduce the incidence of leg-wound complications, whereas the histological quality and long-term patency of harvested grafts are comparable with grafts harvested by m...

Saphenous vein grafts are the most common conduits used for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG); however, no more than 60% of vein grafts remain open after 10 years and graft failure is associated with poor clinical outcome. The "no-touch" harvesting technique-where a sheet of perivascular tissue is retained around the vein-improves graft patency to over 80% after 16 years of follow-up, but ...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the possible role of apoptosis on brief distensions of human saphenous veins at different pressures. METHODS Fresh isolated grafts of human saphenous vein were assigned as control or distended (D) for fifteen seconds at 100, 200 and 300 mmHg. The degree of apoptotic caspases 3, 8, 9 and anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry. R...