title: Twelve years' experience and clinical results of using the radial artery for coronary revascularization.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The radial artery (RA) is becoming a popular conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), yet data reporting the long-term results are rare. We reported our clinical, angiographic and intravascular ultrasound findings on 93 patients who had the RA used as part of the conduit for the CABG procedures during a 12-year period from June 2001 to June 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 118 radial artery conduits were harvested in 87 males and 6 females, age from 28 to 66 (mean 49.9) years. An "intra-operative Allen's test" was developed to safeguard blood supply to the arm and hand. A "double-clip & scissors-cut" technique was carried out to minimize the thermal injury to the radial artery from the diathermy. The left radial artery was used in 67 patients, the right in one, and bilateral radial arteries in 25 patients. One hundred and twenty-two out of 272 distal anastomoses (44.9%) were constructed with radial arteries, with an average of 2.9 grafts per patient (range 2-6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up angiography and intravascular ultrasound study at 3-139 postoperative months (mean 59 months) revealed a 93.1% RA patency. String sign occurred in one patient in whom the RA was directed to a big right coronary artery with a stenosis of around 50%. The patency for the internal mammary artery was 96.4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RA is an excellent conduit that broadens the options for total arterial CABG surgery. Good graft patency could be achieved through careful harvesting techniques and choice of proper target coronary vessels.
authors.affiliation: Zhengzhou University School of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China.
authors.forename: Zhaoyun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Henan Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
authors.forename: Ziniu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Henan Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Henan Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Henan Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Henan Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
authors.forename: Junjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Henan Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
authors.forename: Junlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Henan Cardiovascular Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan 450003, China.
authors.forename: Chuanyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Zhengzhou University School of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China. Email: thetigerman@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Yongping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000601:surgery*