Feasibility and efficacy of real-time ultrasound-guided venous closure with suture-mediated vascular closure device

Venous vascular access complications are usually nonfatal but are the most common complications after transvenous catheter intervention. Vascular closure devices (VCDs) have recently become available for venous closure.

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of real-time ultrasound-guided venous closure with suture-mediated VCDs in patients who underwent catheter ablation.

This single-center observational study enrolled 226 consecutive patients who underwent elective catheter ablation with femoral venipuncture. For hemostasis, vessel closure by VCD was performed with real-time ultrasound guidance after 2022 (n = 123) and without ultrasound guidance in 2021 (n = 103). The occurrence of venous access site-related complications (major, minor, or other) was compared.

The rate of device failure was significantly lower in patients with ultrasound guidance than in those without (1.6% vs 6.3%; P = .048). The occurrence of all venous access site-related complications was significantly lower in patients with ultrasound guidance than in those without (4.9% vs 18.4%; P = .001). Time to ambulation was shorter in patients with ultrasound guidance than in those without (2.0 ± 0.1 hours vs 2.2 ± 0.6 hours; P < .001).

Real-time ultrasound guidance can reduce device failure, access site-related complications, and time to ambulation in performing venous closure with a VCD.