Should the femoral or brachial artery be used if radial artery cannulation is difficult?
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Updated: Nov 27, 2025

Brachial Artery Catheterization in Swine
Published on: March 30, 2019
Sean McGuire1, Niamh Campbell2, Coralie Carle1
1Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Peterborough City Hospital, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, Peterborough, UK.
Current best practice in placement of arterial lines is to attempt to cannulate the radial artery in the first instance. However, if the radial artery is difficult to cannulate there is no consensus among clinicians on how best to proceed. This article looks at the evidence for the different options.
Current best practice in placement of arterial lines is to attempt to cannulate the radial artery in the first instance. However, if the radial artery is difficult to cannulate there is no consensus among clinicians on how best to proceed. This article looks at the evidence for the different options.
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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:
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Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)

