Transient ulnar artery compression facilitates transradial access
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026
Transradial Access Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients
Published on: September 20, 2020
Zhi-Ming Zhou1, Zhen-Xian Yan, Bin Nie
1Department of Cardiology, Beijing An Zhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Disease, The Key Laboratory of Remodeling-related Cardiovascular Disease, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
Background:
Unsuccessful radial artery puncture is one of the important causes of transradial procedure failure. Ulnar artery compression made the radial artery pulse stronger. Whether it would make transradial access easier, however, is uncertain.
Methods:
A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted among 446 patients who planned for transradial cardiac catheterization. Patients were randomized to receiving either transient ulnar artery compression (UC) or standard treatment (standard) for half an hour prior to needle insertion (217 UC, 229 standard). The diameters of right radial artery and ulnar artery were measured by ultrasound on admission and before artery puncture. Primary endpoints included the number of attempts to access, the rate of first-pass success, and time for a successful access. Secondary endpoints were the number of difficult procedures, and the incidence of puncture failure.
Results:
The diameters of radial artery were larger after half an hour's ulnar artery compression, but there were no obvious changes in that of ulnar artery. As compared with standard group, the number of attempts was significantly decreased (1.42 ± 1.10 vs 2.97 ± 2.38, P <0.001), and the rate of first-pass success was greatly enhanced (73.27% vs 57.64%, P <0.001) in UC group. Meanwhile, the time for access was decreased (59 ± 15 seconds vs 71 ± 18 seconds, P <0.001) with UC. In addition, the proportion of difficult procedures of UC group was less than that of standard group (4.61% vs 10.92%, P = 0.013). No significant differences were found in failure rates of sheath insertion and puncture between the 2 groups.
Conclusion:
Transient ulnar artery compression enhances the efficacy and feasibility of radial artery intubatton in transradial catheterization.
More Related Videos
05:18Author Spotlight: Ultrasound-Guided Needle Release Combined with Corticosteroid Injection for the Treatment of Supinator Syndrome
Published on: May 26, 2023
06:04Upper-extremity Approach for Secondary Access in Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
Published on: August 8, 2025
Related Concept Videos
01:12Arteries of the Upper Limbs
01:11Assessment of radial pulse
The radial pulse, located at the wrist, is often the preferred site for assessing peripheral pulse because of its accessibility and dependability. The process of determining the radial pulse involves several steps:
01:22Spinal Nerves: Plexus I
The Cervical Plexus
The cervical plexus, formed by the anterior rami of the first four...
01:25Assessment of apical radial pulse
The A-R pulse assessment involves simultaneous evaluation of the apical and radial pulses. When the apical and radial pulse rates vary, this assessment helps identify a pulse deficit.
Pre-Procedural Preparation
01:17Veins of Upper Limbs
The deep venous system is primarily composed of the ulnar and radial veins. The ulnar vein, which drains the fingers through the superficial palmar venous arches, and the radial vein, which serves the palms via the deep palmar...
01:27Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care