Methods: In our institution, totally 184 patients underwent CABG operation using radial artery between June 1998 and June 2002. The mean age of the patients were 47.9 ± 7.7 years (range, 29 to 68 years), and ten patients were female. Modified Allen’s test was used to evaluate the collateral circulation of ulnar artery for all patients. Sixty patients were randomized for control angiogram, and the mean time of the control angiographic evaluation was 15 ± 1.3 months.

Results: There was one early mortality due to low cardiac output syndrome as a result of radial artery spasm and perioperative myocardial infarction. Late mortality was seen in two patients (1.1%) due to sudden death and low cardiac output syndrome followed by control angiography. Five patients (2.7%) had perioperative myocardial infarction. There was no hand ischemia in any patient. The patency rate of radial arteries was 77.1%.

Conclusions: Although we found the patency rate lower than the literature, we suggest that the radial artery is the second choice as a conduit in CABG operations because of its mid-term patency is superior than saphenous vein grafts.