Which of the following is a disadvantage of radial artery grafts?

• A. Arm numbness or tingling due to losing portion of radial artery
• B. Increased risk of donor-site infection
• C. Requires sternotomy
• D. Grafts have higher risk of early occlusion than saphenous vein

Answer: (A)

Radial artery grafts carry a notable donor-site complication: numbness or tingling in the forearm or hand after harvesting the artery. This happens because the dissection can affect sensory nerves in the forearm as well as the radial artery itself. Even though the hand often stays well perfused thanks to collateral circulation from the ulnar artery and palmar arches, some patients experience persistent sensory changes at the donor site. The other statements aren’t typical disadvantages: using the radial artery does not require opening the chest, donor-site infection risk is not inherently higher than other harvest sites, and radial grafts generally have good early patency compared with saphenous vein grafts.