Long-term arterial cannulation in ICU patients using the radial artery or dorsalis pedis artery

To evaluate the rate of arterial thrombosis and catheter-related infection following radial artery or dorsalis pedis artery (DPA) cannulations lasting > or = 4 days.

Prospective, observational study of two cohorts of ICU patients.

ICU of a university hospital.

In a first group of 131 consecutive patients, the DPA was selected for arterial cannulation. In the second group, 134 consecutive patients were considered for radial artery cannulation.

In the DPA group, the overall success rate for catheter placement was 85%. Patients were cannulated for 16 +/- 5 days (mean +/- SD). In the radial artery group, the overall success rate was 97.7% (129 of 132 patients; p < 0.0001 vs DPA group). Patients were cannulated for 13.3 +/- 4.0 days. In both groups, no signs of ischemia were detected at the clinical examination. In the DPA group, no thrombosis was detected at the angiographic examination in 21 patients (38%), a thrombosis without vessel obstruction was observed in 21 patients (31%), and a thrombosis with vessel obstruction was observed in 21 patients (31%). In the radial artery group, no thrombosis was observed in 31 patients (24%; not significant vs DPA group), a partial thrombosis was found in 73 patients (57%), and a total thrombosis with vessel obstruction was found in 25 patients (19%). Two cases of catheter-related infection were observed in the DPA group. In the radial artery group, four cases of catheter-related infection were diagnosed vs DPA group (not significant).

The rate of serious complications was similar for both sites of arterial cannulation. Accepting a 12.7% lower rate of successful placement, the DPA route provides a safe and easily available alternative when radial arteries are not accessible.