Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/606753
Executive Briefing: 46 Executive Briefing: Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting MAQUET Medical Systems, USA is a market leader offering a comprehensive portfolio of products utilized in the Hybrid and Traditional OR, ICU, Cath Lab and in patient transport. Our products are designed to meet the needs of clinical professionals in the areas of: advanced hemodynamic monitoring, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, thoracic drainage, cardiac intervention, perfusion, anesthesia and ventilation. MAQUET is focused on improving patient care and quality of life, providing clinicians with sustainable technologies that fit their daily practice and investing in the devel- opment of innovative solutions that will help further advance clinical practice and significantly improve patient outcomes. that people believe the endoscopic method causes injury to the conduit," says Mr. Ashier. "But there have been articles pub- lished showing the new technology can improve outcomes in the hands of highly-skilled and experienced harvesters." There is a slight learning curve — around 30 to 50 cases de- pending on the provider's hand-eye coordination. Maquet of- fers workshops to teach the procedure, and holds the dominant position in the market share today for endoscopic vessel har- vesting. "Most surgical training curriculums now involve some compo- nents of surgery that involve video-assisted procedures," says Mr. Ashier. There are several published articles, including a 2012 JAMA article titled "Association Between Endoscopic vs. Open Vein Graft Harvesting and Mortality, Wound Complications, and Cardiovascular Events in Patients Undergoing CABG Surgery," comparing open vein and endoscopic graft harvesting for cor- onary artery bypass graft surgery. The researchers compared Medicare patients who underwent either the open procedure or endoscopic vessel harvesting between 2003 and 2008 with 934 surgical centers participating in the Society of Thoracic Sur- geons national database. The researchers found there wasn't significant difference be- tween the long-term mortality rates and composite of death, myocardial infarction and revascularization. However, the endo- scopic vein graft harvesting was associated with lower harvest site wound complications compared with open vein-graft har- vesting. In honor of National Physician Assistant Week, Oct. 6 to 12, phy- sician assistants supporting cardiac surgeons dedicated time to educate the public on endoscopic vessel harvesting. The event commemorates the first anniversary of Duke University's physi- cian assistant class on Oct. 6, 1967. Now, there are more than 75,000 PAs providing medical and surgical care in the United States. Each year more than 6,000 PAs enter the workforce and 78 percent of recent graduates are receiving multiple job offers. "The big reason I participated in National Physician Assistant Week was to spread the word about endoscopic vessel harvest- ing and the important advancements in the field," says Mr. Ash- ier. "I want to make sure physicians and other practitioners are involved in bringing the endoscopic procedure to their practice and providing the best care options for their patients." n (Endnotes) 1 "The Benefits of Endoscopic Vein Harvesting" The Heart Institute at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center. Lawnwoodmed.com/our-servic- es/heart/endoscopic-vein-harvesting.dot 2 "Clinical benefits of endoscopic vein harvesting in patients with risk factors for saphenectomy wound infections undergoing coronary ar- tery bypass grafting," Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, January 2000. p. 69-75. 3 "Is it safe to perform endoscopic vein harvest?" Interactive Cardiovas- cular and Thoracic Surgery, Oxford Journals, 2010. 4 "Encouraging results with endoscopic vein harvest for infrainguinal by- pass," Journal of Vascular Surgery, May 2005. 5 "Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting For Bypass Surgery," Health Awareness. www.napsnet.com/articles/71513.html 6 "Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting For Bypass Surgery," Health Awareness. www.napsnet.com/articles/71513.html 7 "Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting For Bypass Surgery," Health Awareness. www.napsnet.com/articles/71513.html "The patients are able to recover more quickly from endoscopic vessel harvesting, and they like it better. The shorter length of stay coupled with the reduced complication and infection risk, adds a cost-benefit to endoscopic vessel harvesting over the open technique." — Saurabh Ashier, a physicians assistant in Los Angeles