Use of angiographic needles with or without stylets: pathologic assessment of vessel walls after puncture

There is controversy as to whether angiographic needles without stylets produce more arterial damage than those with stylets. Iliac arteries from 15 fresh human cadavers were punctured 56 times with either an 18-gauge angiographic needle with a stylet or one without a stylet (28 punctures with each needle type). These puncture sites were serially sectioned and examined microscopically. Each needle tract was evaluated for margin irregularity, shape of puncture, and approximation of edges. No statistically significant differences in arterial wall changes were found. The authors' data suggest that the choice of beveled needle use in angiography can probably be made on a basis other than concern for differences in vessel wall damage secondary to the presence or absence of a stylet.