[Color Doppler-guided compression of pseudoaneurysms after arterial puncture. Early and late results]

Sixteen pseudoaneurysms occurred after 1796 femoral arterial punctures for diagnostic coronary angiography and/or angioplasty, performed between 1. 1. 1993 and 25. 3. 1994. One additional patient with pseudoaneurysm had undergone a femoral arterial puncture at another hospital. Primary colour Doppler-directed compression of the pseudoaneurysm (15-minute compression followed by 10-minute compressions, as needed) was successful in 16 patients. There was one recurrence, after five days, which was successfully and lastingly treated by another compression. Primary thrombosing by compression of the pseudoaneurysm failed in only one patient, but after spontaneous thrombosis achieved by a compression bandage no flow was demonstrable on the following day. Clinical examination and/or colour Doppler sonography was performed on all patients a mean of 84 days (5 days to 6 months) after successful treatment: no recurrence was recorded. There were no significant early or late complications. These data indicate that colour Doppler-monitored compression of femoral-artery pseudoaneurysm can be considered the treatment of choice, with few exceptions, for this not rare complication of arterial catheterization.