Background: Use of the radial artery as a conduit for coronary artery surgery has increased dramatically. It has been assumed that blood flow to the forearm will not be compromised by its removal.
Methods: Sixteen patients who had the left radial artery harvested for coronary surgery at least 3 months earlier were studied. The right radial artery was not harvested. The radial, ulnar, and brachial artery diameters and flows were measured using pulsed wave Doppler with a 15-MHz linear array transducer. Measurements were performed at rest, with the right radial artery compressed, and after ischemia with forearm exercise.
Results: At rest, the (mean +/- SE) diameter of the left ulnar artery was consistently greater than the right (2.4 +/- 0.09 versus 2.1 +/- 0.09 mm, p = 0.001) as was flow (74 +/- 9.9 versus 48 +/- 8.5 mL/min, p = 0.005). There was no difference between diameters or flows in the brachial arteries. After compression of the radial artery, flow increased in the right ulnar artery from 39 +/- 8.0 to 72 +/- 17.6 mL/min (p = 0.019) without an increase in ulnar artery size and was not different from the left ulnar artery flow at rest (p = 0.440). After ischemic forearm exercise, flow increased in the two brachial arteries almost equally (left, 348 +/- 50; right, 371 +/- 63 mL/min).
Conclusions: Blood flow to the forearm and hand is not compromised by harvest of the radial artery.