Novel harvesting technique of no-touch saphenous vein graft using THUNDERBEAT.

The no-touch technique of saphenous vein involves harvesting the vein as a pedicled graft and avoidance of direct contact with the vein or excessive high-pressure expansion. This technique provides long-term graft patency as that of internal mammary artery; however, the wound complications could be greater than conventional skeletonized technique. To solve the problem of leg wound trouble and to harvest the vein simpler, we have developed a novel harvesting technique using a newly developed energy device, THUNDERBEAT. This technique has the ability of efficacious tissue dissection, safer sealing of branches, and less wound complications without thermal damage to the graft. This strategy was successfully used in 35 patients.