Endoscopic vessel harvesting (EVH) has become an essential part of modern coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), offering tangible benefits for patient recovery and hospital performance. Across the cardiac community, however, the way EVH is introduced and taught varies significantly between hospitals and regions — often because case volumes, training pathways, and local support structures differ.
Royal Brompton Hospital is addressing exactly this challenge. In collaboration with Getinge, the hospital has established a dedicated EVH training center that is setting a new benchmark for how minimally invasive harvesting can be taught and sustained in clinical practice.
A training center built for continuity — not just capability
The EVH program at Royal Brompton is designed around a simple principle: consistency creates competence. Trainees — both surgeons and Surgical Care Practitioners — spend one to two weeks immersed in high-volume live theatre, supervised harvesting, and structured feedback. The aim is not merely exposure, but measurable progression.
The expectation is clear: Only hospitals prepared to implement EVH sustainably are invited to participate.
It doesn’t make sense to train someone who goes back and can’t continue the work. For EVH to succeed, the environment has to support it.
Gianluca Adinolfi, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgical Care Practice
This pragmatic approach ensures that each training slot translates into a real clinical program — not a one-off skill experience. While the focus remains firmly on EVH, the methodology is robust enough to extend to related techniques such as ERAH, reflecting the hospital’s broader commitment to minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
Clinical excellence with measurable impact
Royal Brompton has not performed routine open leg harvesting in nearly a decade. EVH is the default standard, used even in complex or urgent cases. According to Adinolfi, this consistency has tangible consequences for conduit quality, confidence in the theatre, and overall patient outcomes.
Statistically, the impact extends beyond clinical parameters. An internal review at the hospital observed that streamlined EVH processes created the capacity for around 24 additional CABG procedures per year — an increase that translated into roughly £200,000 in additional annual revenue.
After ECMO, EVH is one of the biggest contributors to our service performance.
Gianluca Adinolfi, Head of Cardiothoracic Surgical Care Practice
Shorter recovery times also play a key role. Patients mobilize sooner, complications occur less frequently, and beds free up earlier — all of which support the wider NHS goal of improving flow and surgical throughput. For a system under pressure, EVH is more than a surgical preference; it is a lever for operational resilience.
A partnership designed to sustain adoption
While Royal Brompton provides the clinical expertise and case volume, the long-term success of the program relies on the structured support around it. Getinge plays a central role in maintaining continuity once trainees return to their hospitals. Field specialists reinforce the same harvesting approach used at Brompton, help teams troubleshoot early challenges, and support the transition from individual cases to a fully embedded EVH pathway.
This shared commitment — built over several years of alignment across ethics, compliance, and governance — ensures that training does not end at the theatre door. Instead, it becomes part of a continuous development framework that hospitals can rely on as their teams gain experience.
A model prepared to expand — next steps for the UK
The effectiveness of the Brompton model has attracted interest from several hospitals across the country. Plans are already in place to replicate the centre in the north of England in 2026, creating a second hub for structured EVH education and program-building. The goal is to accelerate adoption and bring the benefits of minimally invasive harvesting to more regions — not through isolated workshops, but through a proven, scalable framework.
Looking ahead: EVH as the national standard
For Royal Brompton, the ambition is straightforward: EVH should become the standard of care in every UK hospital performing CABG. For Getinge, the project highlights the company’s role as a knowledge provider and long-term partner, supporting clinicians not only with devices but with the structures needed to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes.
The EVH training center shows what is possible when clinical leadership and industry expertise come together: faster recovery for patients, stronger performance for hospitals, and a clear, scalable model for the future of cardiac surgery in the NHS.