Clinical Study Demonstrates Significant Decrease in Complications for Patients Who Undergo Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

Business Editors, Health/Medical Writers

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. AND CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)-- Nov. 13, 2000

Data from a recent clinical study show that a new procedure utilizing endoscopic vein harvesting leads to fewer wound healing complications compared to open saphenous vein harvesting for patients who undergo coronary artery bypass surgery. The saphenous vein is a commonly used bypass graft utilized in coronary artery bypass procedures to restore blood flow to clogged coronary arteries.

Research was presented today by Jerene M. Bitondo, P.A., of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA, at the 73rd Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in New Orleans, Louisiana. The study was designed to compare two methods used to harvest greater saphenous veins from the leg: endoscopic or minimally invasive vein harvesting using Guidant Corporation's (NYSE:GDT) (PCX:GDT) VASOVIEW(R) UNIPORT(TM) PLUS Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting System, which allows physicians to harvest the vessel through a single, 2 cm. incision in the leg; and the traditional open saphenous vein harvesting procedure, which requires physicians to make a long incision from the groin to the ankle.

Results from the study of 262 patients determined that wound complications occurred in just 9 percent of patients who were treated with the endoscopic vessel harvesting method, as compared to 30.5 percent of patients who were treated with the open saphenous vein harvesting procedure. Patients who were treated with the minimally invasive endoscopic vessel harvesting method had mean wound closure times of 21 minutes, as compared to 66 minutes in open vein harvesting patients.

"The results of this study are encouraging for physicians treating patients with coronary artery bypass surgery," said Willard M. Daggett, M.D., cardiac surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA, who served as co-investigator for this clinical trial. "In addition, we're finding that endoscopic vein harvesting is as quick or quicker than our older open techniques."

The endoscopic vein harvesting procedure begins with a small, 2 cm. incision into the patient's leg, close to the knee. The physician then inserts the VASOVIEW UNIPORT PLUS System into the incision and uses it to dissect the saphenous vein. The VASOVIEW UNIPORT System isolates the greater saphenous vein from surrounding tissue. The physician then uses the integrated design of the VASOVIEW UNIPORT System to retract and transect tributaries of the saphenous vein that will be harvested. Once this is completed, the vessel is removed from the patient's leg and used as a bypass conduit for blocked arteries of the heart.

Comparatively, the open vessel harvesting procedure requires a long incision down the length of the patient's leg, from the groin to the ankle to harvest the greater saphenous vein.

"Approximately 350,000 coronary artery bypass procedures are performed each year in the United States," said Jay Watkins, president of Guidant's Cardiac & Vascular Surgery Group. "As leading institutions around the world continue to adopt these new, minimally invasive techniques, Guidant has been able to positively impact the lives of approximately 80,000 patients over the past three years."

A global leader in the medical technology industry, Guidant Corporation provides innovative, minimally invasive and cost-effective products and services for the treatment of cardiovascular and vascular disease. For more information on Guidant's products and services, visit the company's web site at www.guidant.com.