Comparison of Minimum Pressure and Patent Hemostasis on Radial Artery Occlusion After Transradial Catheterization

The aim of this study was to compare two hemostatic techniques, minimum pressure technique and patent hemostasis, on radial artery occlusion (RAO) after transradial catheterization.

RAO is an infrequent complication of transradial procedures. One of the strategies used to reduce this complication is the patent hemostasis technique. Use of minimum pressure in hemostatic wristband, without monitoring patency, might have the same efficacy for preventing RAO.

This is a multicenter study encompassing patients submitted to transradial catheterization. After pneumatic wristband application, the band was deflated to the lowest allowable volume while preserving hemostasis. Radial artery patency was subsequently evaluated. The group with no return of plethysmographic curve was labeled "minimum pressure," and the group in which the signal returned was labeled "patent hemostasis." RAO was verified by Doppler evaluation within the first 24 hours of the procedure.

A total of 1082 patients were enrolled, with mean age of 61.4 ± 10.4 years. The majority (61.0%) were male and 34.5% had diabetes. Patent hemostasis was achieved in only 213 cases (20%). Early RAO occurred in 16 patients (1.8%) in the minimum pressure group and in 4 patients (1.9%) in the patent hemostasis group (P=.97). No major bleeding was observed among the entire cohort. EASY scale for hematoma grade was similar between the cohorts (EASY grades 1-3: 7.0% in the minimum pressure group vs 7.5% in the patent hemostasis group; P=.96).

Checking radial patency during hemostatic compression may not be necessary after the procedure when adopting a mild and short hemostatic compression.