Importance

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Abstract

An endoscope for use in harvesting blood vessels includes a scope body of the type having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough which itself has a proximal and a distal end. The endoscope includes means for viewing an area adjacent the distal end of the lumen, and the lumen has a lateral dimension of a size sufficient to accommodate the blood vessel being harvested and at least one tool for use in harvesting the blood vessel. A first end of the blood vessel section to be harvested is exposed through an incision in the patient's body. A dissecting tool and a gripping tool are inserted through the lumen of the endoscope and used to dissect the blood vessel away from the surrounding connective tissue of the patient's body, using the viewing means of the endoscope to view this dissection in process within the patient's body. Additional tools are provided for use through the lumen of the endoscope to remove body fluids and coagulate bleeding tissue, and to sever side branches from the blood vessel to be harvested, as well as to sever a distal end of the blood vessel to be harvested when a desired length of blood vessel has been dissected. Only a single small incision in the patient's body is necessary to harvest a relatively long length of blood vessel in a precise and controlled manner through endoscopic vision using the inventive endoscope and its related tools.

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