Transradial cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention: a review

Campeau in 1989 and subsequently Kiemeneij and Laarman in 1993 successfully attempted diagnostic cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), respectively, using the radial artery. Since then, the technique has evolved significantly with improvement in catheters and operators gaining experience in transradial (TR) procedures. Short recovery time, less bleeding complications, and enhanced patient satisfaction made the TR approach a preferred route to perform cardiac catheterization and PCIs in an increasing number of countries. As operators become more comfortable with this approach, they are using it to perform increasingly complex procedures such as rotational atherectomy and opening chronic total occlusions. Despite its increasing acceptance due to the advantages it offers, TR access was used only in about 1.32% of patients who underwent PCI in the US in a report by Rao et al. In this review, we summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the TR approach trying to identify the possible causes of it not being adopted in US.