Radial artery as a graft for coronary artery bypass surgery in the era of transradial catheterization

Radial artery use as a bypass conduit is well established during the past decades, in terms of both patency and safety. On the other hand, transradial catheterization causes a series of structural and functional changes to the vessel itself. Impairment of nitric oxide-dependent vasodilation and notable decrease in radial artery diameter due to intima thickening and hyperplasia, especially during the first 3 months after its cannulation, constitute some of the most important alterations on the radial artery wall and its function after a transradial coronary catheterization procedure. Given the constantly increasing numbers of these transradial catheterization procedures, the authors of this article focus on the current knowledge regarding the potential use of the radial artery as a bypass conduit, after its catheterization, also considering several possible mechanisms on its subsequent structural and functional changes.