Ultrasound to prevent leg wound complications in heart bypass- Ver.5.3
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation into the efficacy of pre-operative long saphenous vein mapping using ultrasound for use in coronary artery bypass grafting to reduce vein harvest site complications.
IRAS ID
168000
Contact name
Reshat Reshat
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Bristol NHS FT
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Project 351, David Telling Charitable Trust- Equipment grant
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 27 days
Research summary
A vein from the leg is widely is widely harvested during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery for bypass of diseased coronary arteries. This vein is called the long saphenous vein.
Currently, the long saphenous vein is harvested by surgical practitioners with no imaging prior to surgery to decide on whether this vein is suitable for use in heart bypass surgery. This can result in fruitless incisions and result in additional, unnecessary, surgical wounds in the leg(s) to identify a suitable section of vein that can be used in the bypass operation. In these cases, excessive surgical trauma to the leg can increase the risk of a wound infection.
There is some evidence that ultrasound imaging of the LSV improves leg wound outcomes in patients having CABG surgery. Some studies have reported reductions in vein wound infection rates, vein harvest time, length of hospitalisation and length of wounds.
The purpose of this study will be to investigate the potential benefit of ultrasound imaging as a randomised control trial. One group will have ultrasound imaging of the long saphenous vein prior to heart bypass surgery. A second group will not undergo ultrasound imaging which is current practice at the Bristol Heart Institute.
Ultrasound imaging of the long saphenous vein will allow planning and selection of the most optimal segment of vein for heart bypass surgery. This targeted approach will allow guidance of surgical incisions away from unsuitable segments and thus potentially improving leg wound outcomes.
The primary endpoint for this study will be to assess leg wound infection between the two randomised groups. Other endpoints that will be assessed are patient satisfaction, wound length, time taken to remove the vein, blood loss from the leg wound during surgery and the number of wounds in your leg.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/1319
Date of REC Opinion
9 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion