FREE RADIAL ARTERY GRAFTS - SURGICAL TECHNIQUE AND RESULTS

In the search for alternative conduits, the use of radial artery (RA) grafts has found renewed interest, This study sought to evaluate prosp ectively the perioperative morbidity, including the postoperative comp lications in the donor forearm, and mortality in the routine use of RA , grafts in coronary artery bypass surgery. Data were obtained prospec tively on 200 consecutive patients who underwent coronary revasculariz ation using at least one RA graft from January 1995 to April 1997, The mean age of the patents was 61.9 +/- 10.5 years (mean +/- standard de viation [SD]). The RA was obtained from one forearm in 197 patients an d both forearms in 3 patients. Two patients (1%) required exploration for donor site hematomas, 4 patients (2%) had temporary perioperative dysesthesias in the region of the lateral cutaneous nerve of the forea rm, and none had donor site wound infection. Two patients (1%) had a m yocardial infarction with electrocardiographic changes in the areas gr afted by the RA in the immediate postoperative period, indicating graf t failure, The two deaths in the series were due to comorbid factors. Our data suggest that the RA is a safe and suitable conduit for corona ry revascularization, and ii: provides good clinical results, Long-ter m follow-up of these patients is necessary to confirm the patency of R A conduits. Free RA grafts have the potential for use in other areas o f surgery where a conduit is necessary for revascularization procedure s.