An apparatus is provided in one example and includes a coil that receives one or more tips of an instrument. An interior of the coil interfaces with the tips and the coil and the tips can be positioned together in a hole
cut in a surface of tissue. The coil operable to be unwound such that a portion of the tips is revealed as the coil is unwound. In more specific embodiments, the instrument is a
vein-holding apparatus, and the tips hold a
vein to be sutured at the hole. In still other embodiments, the coil is helically shaped and includes a
tail element that is pulled to unwind the coil incrementally. The
tail element can be pulled until the tips are exposed from the coil.