Post-procedural radial artery occlusion and patency detection using duplex ultrasound vs. the reverse Barbeau test

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Vascular Surgery
• Interventional Radiology

Background:

• The transradial approach is preferred for coronary procedures due to fewer local complications.
• Assessing post-procedural radial artery patency is crucial for patient safety and procedure success.
• No direct comparison existed between the reverse Barbeau test (RBT) and duplex ultrasonography (DUSG) for evaluating radial artery status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of RBT and DUSG in detecting radial artery patency and occlusion after coronary catheterization.
• To evaluate the incidence of local complications, including hematomas, associated with the transradial approach.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 500 patients undergoing same-day discharge coronary catheterization via the transradial approach.
• Radial artery patency and occlusion were assessed using both RBT and DUSG.
• Data collected included compression time, hematoma size, and other local complications.

Main Results:

• Radial artery patency was confirmed in 99.0% of patients by both RBT and DUSG.
• Complete radial artery occlusion (RAO) was detected in 0.4% of patients.
• The RBT showed comparable results to DUSG, with only minor discrepancies in detecting incomplete RAO.

Conclusions:

• Both RBT and DUSG are effective in assessing radial artery patency and occlusion post-transradial catheterization.
• The RBT demonstrates high accuracy and simplicity, making it a suitable first-line diagnostic tool for radial artery occlusion.
• The incidence of RAO following transradial procedures in this cohort was notably low.