Digital Blood Pressure and Arteriographic Findings Under Selective Compression of the Radial and Ulnar Arteries

Abstract

In 50 normal subjects and in 45 limbs of 30 patients with obliterative arterial diseases of the extremities, digital blood pressure and arteriographic findings were observed during selective compression of the radial and ulnar arteries at the wrist. Determination of blood pressure in all fingers during arterial compression is useful for functional and quantitative evaluation of blood supply of the radial and ulnar arteries to the hand. Moreover, by this technique it may be possible to predict the risk of development of digital ischemia after radial artery cannulation and construction of an arteriovenous shunt. Arteriography during arterial compression is especially useful in patients with occlusion of the ulnar artery, in order to visualize accurately the site, size, and pattern of the obliteration and the degree of development of collateral circulation in the ulnar site.

Effect of radial artery harvest on collateral forearm blood flow and digital perfusion

“…Patterns of dominant flow through the hand varies. Hirai 14,15 found that 26% of the population he studied had radial dominant circulation, 24% were ulnar dominant, and 50% showed no dominant vessel, whereas Fuhrman and colleagues 16 found that 28% of his 88 patients were radial dominant, 44% were ulnar dominant, 24% were indeterminate dominant, and 4% demonstrated an interrupted arch. Knowledge of the dominant vessel in one upper extremity does not predict the dominance in the contralateral side.…”

Can forearm flaps be selected by use of color-flow duplex Doppler scanning?

“…According to Coleman and Anson [4] the hand is not supplied primarily by the ulnar artery but more equally by the two arteries. Half were found to have neither vessel dominance [8]. This was explained by the numerous forearm branches of the ulnar artery.…”

Preoperative Doppler Ultrasonography Allen Test for Radial Forearm Free Flap in Oral Cancer Reconstruction: Implications in Clinical Practice

“…Dost and Rudofsky [ 32 ] observed dominance of the radial artery in 6 of 11 patients, whereas in the other 5, the ulnar artery was dominant. Hirai [ 33 ] reported that 26% of patients had radial dominance, 24% ulnar dominance and 50% had no dominant vessel. Fuhrman [ 34 ] published similar data.…”