Radial Artery Use in Bypass Grafting Does Not Change Digital Blood Flow or Hand Function

Long-term digital blood flow after radial artery harvesting for coronary artery bypass grafting

“…The removal of the radial artery in properly selected patients is considered safe [2][3][4], but there is limited information on the status of digital flow after radial artery harvesting. There is continuing concern over the occurrence of postoperative circulatory insufficiency of hands and fingers in these patients [5][6][7].…”

“…To address this concern, attempts have been made to assess the adequacy of collateral flow by radial artery compression at the wrist using Doppler ultrasonography [8] or pulse-volume-recording (PVR) plethysmography [2,3,[8][9][10]. These widely used methods, however, are inadequate for assessing the status of postoperative digital blood flow because they measure only the immediate and transient changes in blood flow.…”

Treatment of Chronic Digital Ischemia With Direct Microsurgical Revascularization

“…It also prevents any "steal" of blood away from the radial circulation to the hand. 20,21 Correlation of the target vessel on arteriogram with the open common digital vessel found on exploration is important. Typically, dissection along the palmar arch is performed to locate the target vessel anatomically.…”

Recognition of potential morbidity after use of the radial artery as a conduit for coronary artery revascularization

“…Careful preoperative evaluation to ascertain sufficient collateral circulation to the hand and an awareness of other concomitant disease states is of paramount importance to prevent this potential for unintended morbidity. Wound infection (26) Wrist flexor tendonitis (3) …”