Evaluation of Allen’s test in both arms and arteries of left and right-handed people

Abstract

The Allen's test as described in 1929 by Edgar V. Allen has been modified, adapted and complemented by other newer modalities but remains a first line standard test to evaluate the arterial supply of the hand. In this study an attempt has been made to add more information regarding the arterial supply of the hand, in left- and right-handed individuals, left and right hands and the ulnar and radial arteries, when doing the Allen's test. A modified Allen's test using an oxygen saturation monitor was used. The sample group consisted of 80 (30 left-handed and 50 right-handed) students. No significant differences between the Allen's test of the left and right hands in the left and right-handed individuals were found. There was a marginal but not significant difference between the two arteries. The ulnar artery took slightly longer to reach baseline values as compared to the radial artery. The results suggest that a positive Allen's test can be found in both left and right-handed people, with regard to the left and right hands and both radial and ulnar arteries may be implicated. This information should be kept in mind when selecting either the radial or ulnar artery for grafting purposes (e.g. coronary angiosurgery) and forearm artery cannulation.

Sequence of the Essex-Lopresti lesion—a high-speed video documentation and kinematic analysis

“…Clinical and radiological examination of the whole forearm unit along with the medial and lateral elbow is important, so that concomitant ligamentous injuries will not be missed. If radial head fractures are operated on, one should consider intraoperative tests to check for longitudinal forearm instability (Smith et al 2002, Soubeyrand et al 2006). …”

Laser speckle contrast analysis for quantifying the Allen test: A feasibility study

“…An insufficient UA and/or an incomplete arch could lead to hand ischemia of particularly the thumb and index finger . An incomplete superficial palmar arch is present in approximately 20% of the population . A negative Allen test suggests an adequate blood supply to the hand by the UA with a closed RA, hence reperfusion within, for example, 5 seconds.…”

The value of Allen's test in harvesting a radial forearm flap: correlation of ex-vivo angiography and histopathological findings

“…The most important requirement for harvesting the radial artery is an intact palmar arch that provides perfusion of the hand by the ulnar artery 15 . The permeability of the palmar arch is evaluated by the Allen's test 3,5,13 . A negative Allen's test is accepted as a condition for raising the radial forearm flap.…”