Facile location of the saphenous vein during endoscopic vessel harvesting.

Endoscopic techniques are used more frequently to harvest the saphenous vein for cardiac and peripheral vascular procedures. To identify the saphenous vein through an initial small access incision can be difficult. We describe the use of a portable intraoperative ultrasound system to expeditiously identify the saphenous vein during endoscopic harvesting, particularly in obese patients.