OBJECTIVE: To verify the incidence of atherosclerotic obstructions and microscopic atherosclerotic lesions in radial arteries dissected from cadavers of over 34-years-olds. METHODS: Twenty-nine cadavers had both radial arteries dissected as if they were going to be utilized as a coronary artery bypass grafts. An angiogram was performed to determine atherosclerotic obstruction of the radial arteries Subsequently, three fragments of the artery (proximal, medial, distal) were prepared on microscopic slides using hematoxylin-eosin in order to identify microscopic atherosclerotic lesions. Results were compared with risk factor found in patient's records: age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, history of smoking, myocardial infarctation, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, obesity, family history. RESULTS: No obstructive lesions were found in the angiograms. Four cadavers presented with microscopic atherosclerotic and pre-atherosclerotic lesions. Among the risk factors considered, only age was correlated with microscopic lesions. The arteries measured, on average, 19.22 cm in males and 17.45 cm in females. Theirs diameters were 1.87 mm for men and 1.72 for women. CONCLUSIONS: No atherosclerotic obstructions were found in the radial arteries of those cadavers. Age is a risk factor for microscopic atherosclerotic lesions.
Radial artery; Arteriosclerosis; Cardiac surgical procedures
