[Significance of preoperative ultrasound evaluation of the forearm arteries prior to coronary artery bypass grafting].
We report the significance of preoperative ultrasound evaluation of the forearm arteries in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Ultrasound evaluation was performed in 288 arms with negative Allen's test between August 2004 and July 2007. The diameter, the level of atherosclerotic changes and calcifications, and systolic velocities were evaluated in radial artery (RA) and ulnar artery (UA). The diameter of RA was 2.6 +/- 0.5 mm, and in 30 arms it was smaller than 2 mm. There were 2 occlusions, 4 stenoses, and 20 arteriosclerotic changes in RA. There were 1 occlusion, 8 stenoses, and 4 arteriosclerotic changes in UA. Since there were some overlaps in small diameter and poor qualities of RA and UA, 55 arms (19%) were considered not to qualify as candidates for RA harvest. Pre-operative ultrasound evaluation of the forearm arteries allows safer radial artery harvest and should be performed even in patients with negative Allen' s test.
Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kouseikai Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan.
M
M
Sato
E
E
Suenaga
S
S
Koga
H
H
Kawasaki
D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting; D017535:Ulnar Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography