SAPHENOUS VEIN GRAFTS

Course overview

IN 1967 DR. RENA FAVALORO FIRST DESCRIBED THE USE OF AN AUTOLOGOUS REVERSED GREATER SAPHENOUS VEIN (GSV) GRAFT AS A BYPASS GRAFT. THE GSV CONTINUED TO BE THE CONDUIT OF CHOICE UNTIL 1986 WHEN DATA SUGGESTED THE LEFT INTERNAL MAMMARY ARTERY (LIMA) WAS A SUPERIOR VESSEL FOR REVASCULARIZING THE LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY (LAD) TERRITORY OF THE MYOCARDIUM. HOWEVER, IN SOME PATIENTS, THE GSV IS STILL USED AS A CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFT. IT IS AN EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND RELIABLE CONDUIT WITH SIGNIFICANT LENGTH. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE USE OF SAPHENOUS VEIN GRAFTS FOR CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS, AS WELL AS ITS USE IN NON-CARDIAC SURGERY, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE PRE AND POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.