title: Endoscopic radial artery harvesting reduces postoperative pain and neurologic complications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endoscopic radial artery harvest provides better cosmetic result without compromising the quality of the graft. We sought to compare postoperative harvesting site neurologic and vascular outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 10/2002 until 10/2004, 50 patients were randomized to have their radial artery harvested for coronary bypass either endoscopically (group A, n = 25) or conventionally (group B, n = 25). Radial arteries were preoperatively evaluated by Doppler echocardiography. Neurologic and functional status was assessed by a self reporting questionnaire with a semiquantitative (1-5) scale. Vascular status of the forearm was assessed by control echocardiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At an average follow-up of 37 +/- 7 months, patients undergoing endoscopic radial artery harvesting had less overall neurologic complications (11 versus 17 patients, P = .023) and they were less severe (0.8 +/- 1.1 versus 2.2 +/- 1.2; P < .001). Ulnar flow increase was similar among the groups: 13.1 +/- 5.43 cm/s in group A versus 15.9 +/- 4.9 cm/s in group B (P = .147) as well as ulnar artery diameter increase 0.29 +/- 0.16 mm in group A versus 0.29 +/- 0.26 cm in group B (P = .914).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endoscopic radial artery is safe and does not compromise graft quality or forearm and hand circulation postoperatively. Along with providing a better cosmetic result, endoscopic artery harvesting reduces postoperative harvesting site pain and neurologic complications.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiac Surgery, Dubrava University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. rudi@kbd.hr
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rudez
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Unic
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sutlic
authors.forename: Bojan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biocina
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baric
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ivkovic
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlovic
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D017535:Ulnar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging