[Transbrachial angiography--arteriotomy or percutaneous puncture?]

In 102 patients transcutaneous right brachial artery catheterizations were performed. The sequelae of the brachial artery lesion were investigated 22.43 +/- 22.26 months after catheterization, and data obtained by bilateral Doppler ultrasound technique, oscillography, and strain gauge plethysmography were compared. In ten patients minor obstructions of peripheral blood flow were noted. One patients suffered from longer-lasting ischemic symptoms, which were successfully treated with drugs. In another case an embolectomy had to be performed with an almost complete relief of the obstruction. In our view, the transcutaneous approach may be preferred to the dissection of the artery because the procedure is followed by a low incidence of sequelae for the patient and saves time for the investigator. The rate of obstruction to peripheral flow in our study was lower, in comparison to controls than after dissection of the brachial artery as reported in the literature.