title: Forearm and Hand Function after Radial Artery Harvest for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Subjective Patients' Assessment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As arterial myocardial revascularization is proved to provide great results, radial artery use as a graft and its consequences remain an important issue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to evaluate how patients assess their forearm and hand function after radial artery harvest for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
  
  
  METHODS
  50 patients (mean age 52.2 ± 7.4 years) who underwent CABG at least 6 months (median follow up 11.75 months) earlier filled in a questionnaire concerning hand and forearm efficiency and discomfort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The global efficiency of the operated upper extremity was scored mean 8.87 ± 1.26 points on a 10-point scale and it was worse in patients who noticed at least one sort of disorder than in patients with no problems (8.6 ± 1.4 versus 9.4 ± 0.7 points; P = .04). Paresthesias were the most often reported disorders; 21 patients felt some tingling and/or numbness, but in only 14 (28%) could the symptoms be considered as related to the operation. 20 patients (40%) declared that they felt some scar-related discomfort. Reduced grip strength and excessive hand fatigue were reported by 20% and 10% of patients, respectively. None of those interviewed answered that symptoms reported affected his or her life activity on any level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hand and forearm efficiency after radial artery harvest for CABG was highly evaluated by the majority of patients. Despite the fact that many patients reported some surgery-related problems, they did not notice extremity dysfunction that could limit their life activity.
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Wrocław, Poland.|Institute of Cardiology, Department of Heart Failure and Transplantology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Drohomirecka
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Paweł
authors: P
authors: Kwinecki
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Witold
authors: W
authors: Gwóźdź
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Mariusz
authors: M
authors: Mieczyński
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Nowa, Sól, Poland.
authors: Piotr
authors: P
authors: Stępiński
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Nowa, Sól, Poland.
authors: Jarosław
authors: J
authors: Jasiński
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Krzysztof
authors: K
authors: Stręk
authors: Lower Silesian Center for Heart Diseases, Wrocław, Poland.
authors: Romulad
authors: R
authors: Cichoń
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D006225:Hand / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000637:transplantation*; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000379:methods*