STUDY TO KNOW MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATIONS OF THE RADIAL ARTERY AT THE WRIST AND ITS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Background: The radial artery in the human forearm is a significant artery. It is near the surface of the forearm's bottom; as the hand's palm points up, so is the radial artery. The radial artery provides oxygenated blood from the lungs to the arm and hand. This is the most prevalent artery used to assess the pulse of a patient due to the size of the radial artery and its closeness to the surface of the arm. At the wrist, where the radial artery is nearest to the surface, the pulse is verified. The radial artery is also frequently used for "Arterial Blood Gas" (ABG) measurement when drawing arterial blood. This is done for three reasons: first, it isn't the arm's only blood provider. The ulnar artery will take over if the radial artery is damaged. Second, access is simple. Third, the radial artery is a superficial artery; this implies that the patient can be readily repaired and is rarely endangered