Effect of radial artery harvesting on tissue perfusion and function of thehand

This study was designed to measure the degree to which hand and forearm blo od flow is reduced following harvesting of the radial artery in myocardial revascularization surgery and determine whether there is an effect an hand function. Twenty patients who had the radial artery used for myocardial revasculariza tion underwent bilateral blood flow assessment of hands and forearms using Technetium-99m human serum albumin and clinical evaluation of hand function . Mean tissue perfusion in ml/100 ml/min +/-SD was as follows: donor hand 21. 9+/-5.6, nondonor hand 25.5+/-6.1 (P=0.00043), donor arm (hand and forearm) 17.5+/-3.7 and non-donor arm (hand and forearm) 21+/-5.1 (P = 0.000681). N o clinical evidence of hand claudication was detected. This study suggests that removal of the radial artery reduces the tissue pe rfusion of the hand and forearm but does not affect hand function in the sh ort term. The use of radial artery grafts, in patients at risk of developin g peripheral vascular disease should be carefully considered (C) 2001 The i nternational Society for Cardiovascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Scie nce Ltd, All rights reserved.