Radial Catheterization Advantages

Associate Editor-In-Chief: Varun Kumar, M.B.B.S.; Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.

Advantages of the Radial Approach to Cardiac Catheterization

 * 1) Reduced bleeding
 * 2) Early patient ambulation
 * 3) Greater patient satisfaction
 * 4) Absence of retroperitoneal hematomas, femoral pseudo aneurysms, arteriovenous fistulas
 * 5) Reduced length of stay
 * 6) Improved access in the obese patient
 * 7) Dual blood supply which limits the potential for limb threatening ischemia
 * 8) Advantageous for patients with severe occlusive aortoiliac disease
 * 9) Advantageous for patients with back pain, obesity, congestive heart failure who have difficulty laying flat on back.
 * 10) Less likelihood of local nerve injury
 * 11) Radial artery is easily compressible

In a meta-analysis of publications from 1980 to 2008, radial artery catheterization was associated with a 73% relative risk reduction in the risk of major bleeding (2.3% vs 0.05%, p<0.001) compared to femoral access. While the risk of the composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke tended to be less frequent among patients undergoing radial artery catheterization (3.8% vs 2.5%, p = .058), there was no difference in mortality alone. Radial artery access also was associated with a 0.4% reduction in length of stay (p=0.001).