[Diagnostic and interventional heart catheterization through the radial artery]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Vascular Surgery

Background:

• Traditional femoral artery access for cardiac catheterization often requires prolonged hospitalization (>24 hours) and carries risks of vascular complications.
• The radial percutaneous approach presents an alternative with potential benefits for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and outcomes of the first 95 cardiac catheterizations performed using the radial percutaneous approach.
• To compare hospitalization duration and complication rates with the established femoral approach.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study of 95 patients (83 male, 12 female; mean age 54 years) undergoing cardiac catheterization via the radial artery.
• Procedures included diagnostic catheterization (n=71), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) (n=11), and elective stenting (n=13).
• Data collected included procedure duration, hospitalization length, and incidence of vascular events and pain.

Main Results:

• Initial success rate was 63%, improving to 97% after three months.
• Mean procedure durations: 46 minutes (diagnostic), 51 minutes (PTCA), 87 minutes (stenting).
• Hospitalization lengths were significantly reduced: 5 hours (diagnostic), 31 hours (PTCA), 39 hours (stenting).
• Three patients experienced transient radial pulse loss without distal ischemia; 16% reported pain. No other major vascular complications occurred.

Conclusions:

• The percutaneous radial artery approach is a safe and effective method for cardiac diagnostic and interventional procedures.
• This technique is associated with significantly shorter hospitalization durations and a low rate of vascular complications.
• The radial approach offers a favorable alternative to the femoral approach, improving patient recovery and resource utilization.