Faculty Collaboration Database

Absence of deterioration of vascular function of the donor limb at late follow-up after radial artery harvesting. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2011 Aug;142(2):298-301

Date

12/21/2010

Pubmed ID

21167514

DOI

10.1016/j.jtcvs.2010.10.003

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-79960413907 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   8 Citations

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Radial artery harvesting has been questioned because of purported long-term circulatory consequences. Previous midterm Doppler ultrasonographic results are inconsistent regarding ulnar arterial effects. Flow-mediated vasodilatation more sensitively measures response to shear stress as index of arterial reactivity and function.

METHODS: We contacted 231 patients who had undergone radial artery harvesting at least 10 years previously (mean follow-up, 12.9 ± 0.8 years). Subcohort of 25 volunteers (mean age, 69.2 ± 8.4 years) underwent ultrasonographic evaluation of ipsilateral (harvest) and contralateral (control) ulnar arteries. Flow-mediated vasodilatation compared changes in ulnar arterial diameters before and after occlusion.

RESULTS: In subcohort, peak systolic velocity of harvest ulnar artery was 0.82 ± 0.15 m/s, versus 0.63 ± 0.23 m/s on control side (P < .001), with no differences in intimomedial thickness (P = .763) or presence of atherosclerotic plaques (P = .364). Baseline diameter of harvest ulnar artery was 3.0 ± 0.5 mm, versus 2.7 ± 0.6 mm on control side (P = .007). Postocclusion diameter of harvest ulnar artery was 3.2 ± 0.5 mm, versus 2.9 ± 0.6 mm on control side (P = .001). No differences were seen in preocclusion and postocclusion absolute and percentage changes in ulnar arterial diameter (Table 1).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite increased shear stress, no deterioration in either ulnar arterial structure or functional reactivity was measured by flow-mediated vasodilatation more than 10 years after radial artery harvesting. With appropriate preoperative evaluation, radial arterial grafting for coronary artery bypass grafting is not associated with long-term donor limb vascular insufficiency.

Author List

Schena S, Crabtree TD, Baker KA, Guthrie TJ, Curci J, Damiano RJ, Barner HB

Author

Stefano Schena MD, PhD Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Radial Artery
Retrospective Studies
Time Factors
Tissue and Organ Harvesting
Transplantation, Autologous
Ulnar Artery
Ultrasonography
Upper Extremity
Vasodilation