title: Bilaterally symmetrical congenital absence of radial artery: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The radial artery is used for the access of coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention, as well as for coronary artery bypass surgery. Variations of upper limb arteries are common, however, congenital absence of radial artery is scarce, and most cases were unilateral radial artery absence.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a coronary angiography of a 43-year-old man, we encountered a very rare bilateral congenital absence of the radial artery. For both arms, the radial arteries were not observed and the ulnar arteries were small in size, while anterior interosseous arteries were found to be the dominant artery. Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention were performed via the brachial artery since transradial percutaneous coronary intervention failed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The highlight of this case is that it could be the first case to be reported with bilateral absence of radial artery in adults.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department of The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 314 Anshan Western Road, Tianjin, Nankai District, China. jymao@126.com.
authors.forename: Jing-yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*