| Forearm Problems after CABG Using Radial Artery Grafts |
| Koki Nakamura |
Takato Hata |
Yoshimasa Tsushima |
| Mitsuaki Matsumoto |
Sohei Hamanaka |
Hidenori Yoshitaka |
| Makoto Mohri |
Genta Chikazawa |
Susumu Shinoura |
| Kazushi Minami |
Satoru Otani |
|
(Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Sakakibara Hospital Cardiac Center,
Okayama, Japan)
|
There have been many reports radial artery grafts (RA) are useful in CABG,
but there were very few reports about hand grasping power (GP), edema and
sensory disturbance after surgery. From January to April, 1999, RA were
used for 14 patients (R group) and were not in 16 patients (C group) among
a total of 30 coronary artery bypass grafting procedures. The patients
in the two groups were statistically similar. RA were anastomosed to #12
in 9 patients and #14 in 5. GP and the circumference of forearms were examined
and sensory disturbance was also checked preoperarively and at 1, 2 and
4 weeks postoperatively. In both groups, left GP decreased slightly after
surgery but gradually recovered. Four weeks after surgery, it was 26.2±9.6
kg in the R group and 26.2±7.5 kg in the C group (NS). the difference
between left and right circumference of forearms, which indicates the degree of edema, was significantly larger in the R group
than in the C group (3.5±3.6 mm vs. -0.5±3.8
mm, 1 week postoperatively, P<0.05). However, it gradually improved in the R group (2.1±2.6 mm at
2 weeks and 1.9±2.6 mm at 4 weeks postoperatively ). No sensory disturbance
was seen at any time. Therefore we conclude that using RA in CABG is not
only useful but is also safe and does not increase postoperative risk.
Jpn. J. Cardiovasc. Surg. 29: 368-372 (2000) |
|
