Among patients undergoing CABG, open vein-graft harvesting and endoscopic harvesting appear to have similar mortality rates. An observational study of more than 235,000 Medicare patients found long-term mortality rates of 13.2% for endoscopic harvesting and 13.4% for open vein-graft harvesting. Rates of composite death, myocardial infarction, and revascularization were also similar.
Abstract: JAMA, August 1, 2012.
