Complications of Lower-Extremity Outpatient Arteriography via Low Brachial Artery

Journal Article · Thu Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 2004 · Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/S00270-003-0042-9· OSTI ID:21088310

Chatziioannou, A; Ladopoulos, C; Mourikis, D ^[1]; Katsenis, K ^[2]; Spanomihos, G; Vlachos, L ^[1]

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1. Areteion Hospital, Athens, Departments of Radiology (Greece)
2. Areteion Hospital, Athens, Vascular Surgery (Greece)

We retrospectively evaluated low brachial artery puncture for arteriography and its complications as an alternative approach route for bilateral lower extremity run-off. Using the Seldinger technique and catheterization with a sheathless 4-F multiple side-hole pigtail catheter, we performed 2250 low brachial artery punctures in outpatients.The right brachial artery (RBA) was successfully punctured in 2039 patients; the left brachial artery (LBA) in 200. The transfemoral approach was used in 11 patients when catheterizing either of brachial arteries failed. Ten major or moderate complications (2 pseudoaneurysms, 2 thrombosis, 1 dissection and 5 hematomas) were encountered. Surgical intervention was necessary in three cases. There were no transient ischemic attacks. Twenty-one patients suffered temporary loss of radial pulse which returned spontaneously in less than 1 hour. One patient demonstrated prolonged loss of pulse which required heparin. Low brachial artery puncture and catheterization at the antecubital fossa is a very safe and cost-effective alternative to the femoral artery approach for lower extremity intra-arterial arteriography in the hands of experienced operators. The success rate in catheterizing one of the brachial arteries was 99.52% with a low significant complications rate of 0.44%. The transbrachial approach should be used as a standard method for lower extremity IA - DSA in an outpatient setting.

• OSTI ID: 21088310
• Journal Information: Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology, Journal Name: Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 27; ISSN 0174-1551; ISSN CAIRDG
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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