November 1, 2013, ST. LOUIS - A new study says a procedure performed by cardiologists at Saint Louis University Hospital called “radial catheterization” not only appears to be as safe as femoral approach for women but also shows potential for reducing bleeding complications.
“Radial artery catheterization is not something done commonly in this country right now but is increasing in frequency,” says Michael Lim, MD, co-director of the Center for Comprehensive Cardiovascular Care (C4) at SLU Hospital and a SLUCare physician. “At SLU, it’s our treatment method for almost all patients.”
Results presented at the annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics meeting in San Francisco of the trial SAFE-PCI for Women – the first multicenter trial comparing radial with femoral access in the U.S – found bleeding and complication rates were 1.2 percent in the radial group compared to 2.9 percent in the femoral group.
This study follows one published in the June 10 issue of the journal Circulation, finding radial catheterization in the wrist is linked to fewer bleeding complications than the traditional route through the femoral artery in the groin.
Radial catheterization is an alternative to the traditional method of clearing blockages, delivering medication and positioning stents. Such procedures historically have been performed by inserting a thin tube through the groin and moving the tip through a patient’s artery toward the heart. With radial catheterization – including the artery-opening procedure called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary angioplasty – it is instead performed by running the thin tube through the wrist.
The radial artery is smaller and located closer to the skin’s surface than the femoral artery, which makes it easier to prevent or stop bleeding, according to Dr. Lim.
“A catheter from the wrist requires us to put a band around the artery and they can sit up after the procedure, walk and feed themselves,” he says. “It’s very convenient for the patient.”
That’s why Dr. Lim and his colleagues at SLU Hospital have performed over 85% of catheterizations through the wrist since 2008. “If we can do your procedure for even an emergent condition through the wrist, you’re going to get it done through the wrist here,” he says.
For more, listen to this story with KMOX’s Fred Bodimer: