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International trends in radial artery usage for coronary artery bypass grafting
Arnaldo Dimagli1,2, Kevin R An1,3, Sigrid Sandner1,4
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, 525 E 68th St, New York, NY 10065, USA.
Insights
Global adoption of the radial artery for coronary artery bypass grafting is low but increasing, with a notable rise in endoscopic harvesting techniques across several registries.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Surgical Outcomes Research
Background:
- The radial artery (RA) is increasingly considered for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
- Understanding international trends in RA adoption is crucial for optimizing surgical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate global trends in the utilization of the radial artery (RA) as a conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
- To analyze adoption rates across diverse national and regional cardiac surgery registries.
Main Methods:
- Data extraction from four major cardiac surgery databases: UK, Ontario, Austria, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (STS ACSD).
- Analysis of radial artery use rates and trends, including harvesting techniques.
Main Results:
- Radial artery use rates varied significantly: 4.3% (UK), 23.3% (Ontario), 4.8% (Austria), and 6.4% (STS ACSD).
- Significant uptrends in RA use were observed in Ontario, Austria, and the STS ACSD (P < 0.05).
- A downtrend in RA use was noted in the UK (P = 0.015), with increasing adoption of endoscopic RA harvesting, particularly in Ontario and STS ACSD.
Conclusions:
- Global adoption of the radial artery for CABG remains variable and generally low.
- A general upward trend in RA utilization is evident, alongside a higher adoption rate of endoscopic harvesting methods.
Aims:
The study aimed to investigate international trends in the adoption of the radial artery (RA) as a conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting across different national and regional registries.
Methods And Results:
Data were extracted from four databases: the UK cardiac surgery database, the Ontario provincial administrative database, the Austrian national adult cardiac surgery database, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (STS ACSD). Radial artery use rates were 4.3% in the UK, 23.3% in Ontario, 4.8% in Austria, and 6.4% in the STS ACSD. Significant uptrends in RA use were observed in Ontario (P = 0.001), Austria (P = 0.004), and the STS ACSD (P = 0.02), while a downtrend was noted in the UK (P = 0.015). Endoscopic RA harvesting was increasingly adopted, particularly in Ontario and the STS ACSD.
Conclusion:
Global adoption of RA remains variable and generally low with a general uptrend and higher adoption of endoscopic harvesting.
Related Concept Videos
Assessment of radial pulse
The radial pulse, located at the wrist, is often the preferred site for assessing peripheral pulse because of its accessibility and dependability. The process of determining the radial pulse involves several steps:
Assessment of apical radial pulse
The A-R pulse assessment involves simultaneous evaluation of the apical and radial pulses. When the apical and radial pulse rates vary, this assessment helps identify a pulse deficit.
Pre-Procedural Preparation
Arteries of the Upper Limbs
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care

