The radial artery is the preferred site for arterial pulse palpation and arterial cannulation in the wrist, where it lies lateral to the FCR tendon and flexor retinaculum in the anatomical snuffbox. It is now the standard access site for cardiac catheterisation (radial approach) because of lower bleeding complications than the femoral approach. The Allen test assesses the adequacy of ulnar artery collateral circulation before radial artery harvest for coronary artery bypass grafting.
| Origin | Brachial artery bifurcation at the neck of the radius |
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Radial artery transradial access for cardiac catheterisation has become the preferred approach at most centres because of significantly lower access site bleeding, early ambulation, and lower major adverse cardiovascular event rates compared to femoral access. Radial artery harvest for coronary artery bypass provides an excellent conduit with patency rates superior to saphenous vein grafts. The snuffbox pulse is specifically assessed in scaphoid fracture examination as diminishment indicates possible radial artery injury.
Laceration or iatrogenic injury producing radial-sided forearm bleeding or hand ischaemia if ulnar collateral flow is inadequate, assessed with the Allen test and managed with direct repair or ligation after confirming adequate ulnar collateral circulation.
