Vein harvesting system and method

Abstract

A tissue illumination system and a method for harvesting a section of a blood vessel from a patient's body for further use. The tissue illumination system includes a light catheter inserted into a lumen of the blood vessel section to illuminate the vessel section and vessel side branches with an intensity which is visible to the physician from an exterior of the vessel section and also includes a viewing element insertable into the lumen and capable of viewing the illuminated vessel section. The tissue illumination system also includes at least one tool insertable into the lumen and used to harvest the vessel section.

1 . A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body comprising:
 a catheter sized and configured to be inserted into a lumen of the vessel, the catheter being configured to illuminate an entire length of the vessel section with an intensity which is visible from an exterior of the vessel section;   a viewing element configured to be insertable through the incision and capable of viewing the illuminated vessel section; and   at least one tool used to harvest the vessel section, the at least one tool being sized to be inserted through the incision.