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UHG Surgeons Introduce New Technique for Heart Patients

Dr Alan Soo, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon pictured with his team and patient Thomas Harney who underwent the first ever Endoscopic Vein Harvesting procedure for Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery at University Hospital Galway. L:R Liesta Lisaba, Theatre Nurse; Dr Alan Soo, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon; Thomas Harney, patient; Amanda Flaherty, Operating Department Assistant and Lisa Owens, Clinical Nurse Manager 2, Theatre.

Surgeons at UHG have introduced a new technique which aims to improve outcomes for patients undergoing bypass surgery

Dr Alan Soo and his team have introduced a new method for harvesting veins from a patient’s leg which are then used in bypass graft surgeries.

UHG is the first public hospital in Ireland to offer this type of surgery. The new technique has been successfully carried out on a number of patients at the hospital over the past fortnight.

With recent advancement in technique and technology, surgeons are now able to harvest these veins through a keyhole technique with 2-3 small stab incision measuring around 1cm using a video camera and specialised instrument. This technique is known as Endoscopic Vein Harvesting (EVH). The benefit of this procedure is that it will reduce patient discomfort, reduce wound infection rate and have better cosmetic effect.

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital Galway, started performing EVH this month when the first patient, Mr Thomas Harney from Ballinasloe, underwent CABG surgery with vein harvested endoscopically. The surgery was a success and since then, a number of patients have undergone the procedure successfully.

Dr Alan Soo, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, UHG said, "EVH represents another forward step in surgeons making cardiac surgery less invasive for the patients and hence faster recovery. This procedure has been proven by multiple randomised trials to be cost effective and beneficial to the patients in terms of patient discomfort and wound infection rate. We, in Galway, are proud to be the first public hospital to be able to implement this new service that will bring significant benefit to the patients."