Anatomical Variations of Radial Artery-Its morphology and Clinical Implications

Background: The radial artery is the smaller terminal branch of the brachial artery. It is one of the most commonly used arteries for various interventions. Anatomical variations exist and can predispose patients to iatrogenic injury if the operator is unaware of normal radial artery morphology. The present study focuses on giving detailed information about radial artery measurements in our local population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study, conducted in the anatomy department of Jinnah Medical College Peshawar from 2017 to 2018. This study was conducted on 42 formalin-fixed cadavers, yielding 84 upper limbs. The radial artery was dissected and studied; length, external and internal diameters were measured. Data was entered in SPSS v20 and analyzed. Results: The mean age of the study population was 36 ± 11.25. Male to female ratio was 1:1. The most common site of origin of the radial artery was distal to head of the radius. The right radial artery was longer than the left. The right radial artery was broader in males as compared to females with a p-value of <0.05. The external and internal diameters of the radial artery decreased gradually from start to the endpoint for both the genders. The external diameters of the left radial artery were greater than those on the right side. The right radial artery had a larger internal diameter than the left side. Conclusion: The anatomy and morphology of radial artery have many documented variations. Radiologist and surgeons should have a good understanding of normal morphological variations of radial artery.