Anatomical and biometric study of the radial artery

Abstract Our objective is to study the anatomy and biometry of the radial artery in 45 anatomical subjects, 90 forearms dissected in the anatomy laboratory of our university, and to report the implications of this study in daily practice in Cardiac Surgery. Our results showed that the distance between the epicondyle and the emergence of the radial artery was 32.4 ± 6.67 mm in men and 30.7 ± 9.00 mm in women, with a mean of 31.8 ± 7.58 mm. In the right upper extremity, the mean diameter of the radial artery was 31.5 ± 5.62 mm in its proximal part. In men, the mean diameter of the radial artery was 30.7 ± 4.45 mm in its proximal part and 24.4 ± 7.62 mm in its distal part. The mean diameter of the radial artery in the left upper extremity was 31.6 ± 5.94 mm proximally and 26.4 ± 6.79 mm distally. In men, the mean diameter of the left radial artery was 30.7 ± 4.45 mm proximally and 25.1 ± 5.69 mm distally. The mean length of the left radial artery was 197.0 ± 16.87 mm. The mean length of the right radial artery was 201.2 ± 33.36 mm. The results showed the presence of radial artery variation in 1.11% of the 90 dissected upper extremities. If it is therefore important that the technique of radial artery harvesting is safe and reliable for its use as a graft, we affirm that it is also important to be aware of the possible variations of this artery despite their rarity.