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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 1999;16:160-162
© 1999 Elsevier Science NL

No change in O₂ saturation but measurable difference in thenar flexor power after radial artery harvest

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard, Cambridge CB3 8RE, UK

Corresponding author

Objectives:Objective measures of morbidity will be required to establish the radial artery (RA) as a viable long term alternative to saphenous vein. The RA is the dominant arterial supply to the thenar musculature. We hypothesised that RA harvest should decrease O₂ saturation and thenar muscle power. Methods: RA was harvested from non-dominant (ND) limbs only (left n=58, right n=21). Oximeter values of O₂ saturation were taken from the thumb of the dominant (D) and non-dominant (ND) limb pre and post operatively. A syringe filled with 25 cc of air is emptied against a one way valve connected to a pressure generator MX 100 by MEDEX, Inc, Ohio, USA. Three measures of thenar flexor power (TFP) were taken and mean values obtained in the ND and D limbs. Results: O₂ saturation ranged from 92 to 98% in the thumb of the ND limbs 24 h post RA harvest. The values for TFP (mean±SD) were 1246±246 mmHg (ND) and 1240±258 mmHg (D) pre-operatively and 1216±250 (ND) and 1259±233 (D) post operatively. The changes in TFP between the ND and D limbs (37.0±60.6 ND and 1.86±65.9 D) were significant for the D against the ND limb (P<0.001). This reduction in TFP for the harvested limb was also found when considering handedness (28.0±24.2 and 40.3±69.2 for the left and right handed patients respectively). Conclusion: Our findings confirm the hypothesis that there are objective differences in TFP pre and post RA harvest at 3 months. Further studies are required to assess the clinical significance and persistence of the loss of TFP.

Key Words: O₂ saturation • Thenar flexor power • Radial artery

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