Distal Radial Approach Research Articles

Feasibility and safety of transarterial chemoembolization in patients with liver cancer via the distal radial approach: a single-center retrospective cohort study.

The femoral artery is the standard route for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE); however, it is negatively associated with the quality of life of patients, and carries an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs. We employed the distal radial approach to TACE to assess its feasibility and safety. We conducted a retrospective study at the First Hospital of Jilin University from August 1, 2020 to October 31, 2023. To be eligible for inclusion in the study, the patients had to meet the following main inclusion criteria: (I) have undergone a preoperative imaging (abdominal computed tomography enhancement or magnetic resonance dynamic enhancement) examination, or have a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of primary liver cancer, and a Child-Pugh score of A or B; and (II) have undergone distal radial artery puncture. The primary endpoint of this study was the success rate of distal radial artery puncture. The secondary endpoints were complications and the duration of the puncture. Among the 343 patients with primary liver cancer (of whom 236 were male and 107 were female), a total of 1,315 distal radial artery punctures were attempted. The success rate was remarkably high at 95.13% (1,251/1,315), with only 64 cases requiring an alternative approach due to failed puncture. The average puncture duration was 20±7.43 minutes. No bleeding and hematoma, no arterial dissection and pseudoaneurysm formation were observed on ultrasound, and the radial pulse was palpable in all patients, highlighting the safety of the procedure. Further, no adverse events of vascular occlusion were observed among the 12 patients who received 6 or more punctures, indicating the sustainability of the distal radial artery access under the premise of adequate vascular protection. The development of this technique requires a learning curve of at least 50 cases to break through the learning baseline and be proficient in distal radial artery blind puncture. This may be the reason why many interventional physicians are reluctant to perform this procedure, adapting to the femoral approach with a shorter learning curve. The distal radial artery approach is feasible and safe in hepatic arterial chemoembolization, and should be widely promoted in TACE.

Manual compression hemostasis using a hemostatic pad for the distal radial artery approach

BackgroundThe method of hemostasis for the distal radial approach has not been standardized, although this approach has become increasingly popular due to its advantages. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of manual compression hemostasis using a calcium alginate pad after coronary angiography via the distal radial approach. MethodsWe retrospectively collected 150 consecutive patients (mean age, 74.9 ± 8.0 years; male, 75 %) who underwent coronary angiography via the distal radial artery with a predominantly 4 Fr sheath from April 2021 to December 2022 and were hemostatic according to the following methods. After sheath removal, hemostasis was achieved by manual compression for 10 min using a hemostatic pad containing calcium alginate. When hemostasis was confirmed, a small log-shaped gauze was placed over the pad and fixed using a self-adhesive elastic bandage for 2 h. All procedures were performed by four fellows just beginning the distal radial approach. ResultsThe mean compression time was 12.4 ± 4.8 min, and hemostasis was successfully achieved in all patients, allowing the release of the elastic bandage after 2 h, with only one patient oozing the next morning. There were no major complications, while one patient had a >10 cm hematoma. Compared to that of the first 15 patients, for each fellow, the compression time of the subsequent patients was significantly shorter (14.5 ± 6.7 vs 11.1 ± 2.1 min, p < 0.01). ConclusionsManual compression hemostasis using calcium alginate pads for the distal radial artery approach appears feasible with a simple learning.

Efficacy and safety of uterine artery embolization via the distal radial approach for uterine fibroids or adenomyosis: a single-center retrospective cohort study

Efficacy and safety of uterine artery embolization via the distal radial approach for uterine fibroids or adenomyosis: a single-center retrospective cohort study

Feasibility and safety study of distal radial artery approach in emergency PCI of elderly STEMI patients

Objective: To investigate the feasibility and safety of distal radial artery approach in emergency percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) of elderly ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) patients. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. Elderly patients with acute myocardial infarction who received emergency PCI at the Third Central Hospital of Tianjin from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected. They were divided into the distal radial artery group and the classic radial artery group based on the puncture location. The success rate, puncture time, surgical success rate, and surgical time of the two groups were observed; The incidence of complications in patients, including radial artery occlusion rate, radial artery spasm rate, local hematoma rate, aneurysm incidence rate were recorded. Results: There were 70 cases in the distal radial artery group, including 33 males (47.1%), aged (65.6±6.7) years old; There were 70 cases in the classic radial artery group, including 35 males (50.0%), aged (66.4±6.9) years old. There was no statistically significant difference in puncture success rate, puncture time, surgical success rate, and surgical time between the distal radial artery group and the classical radial artery group (P>0.05). The incidence of radial artery occlusion in the distal radial artery group was significantly lower than that in the classical radial artery group (1.4% vs. 8.6%, P=0.024). The postoperative compression time in the distal radial artery group was significantly shorter than that in the classical radial artery group ((291.6±10.5) min vs. (343.5±9.8) min, P=0.047). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of radial artery spasm, local hematoma, and aneurysm between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: The distal radial artery approach has a lower radial artery occlusion rate, shorter compression time, and better safety. It can be used as a new approach for emergency PCI in elderly patients with STEMI for clinical application.

Design and application of distal radial artery hemostat

Transradial approach is the classical access for coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). With the increase in the number of interventional procedures, some disadvantages of the transradial approach have also been found, it is easy to lead to various complications, such as radial artery occlusion, radial nerve injury, and puncture difficulties after radial artery spasm. Therefore, some experts put forward the approach of distal radial artery approach for interventional therapy, which has the advantages of convenient positioning, easy postoperative hemostasis, less damage to the proximal radial artery and improving patients' comfort. However, there is no special distal radial artery hemostat in clinic, which limits the development of this approach to a certain extent. Therefore, based on the principles of anatomy and physics, cardiovascular physician at Jiading District District Central Hospital in Shanghai designed and invented a distal radial artery hemostatic device, which is convenient for clinical hemostasis of distal radial artery puncture, and obtained the National Utility Model Patent (patent number: ZL 2021 2 2097829.6). The hemostatic device consists of a glove body with a silicone gasket protruding towards the skin on the inner surface and a binding component. The patient's hand is inserted into the glove body, and after being fixed by the restraint component, the silicone gasket can effectively compress the location of the radial artery puncture point, and play a good hemostatic effect with less pressure, avoid the common complications of proximal radial artery hemostatic, and reduce the discomfort of the patient. Has good application value.

Distal Radial Access for Coronary Procedures in a Large Prospective Multicenter Registry: The KODRA Trial

BackgroundDistal radial access (DRA) as an alternative access route lacks evidence, despite its recent reputation. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of DRA on the basis of daily practice. MethodsThe KODRA (Korean Prospective Registry for Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Distal Radial Approach) trial was a prospective multicenter registry conducted at 14 hospitals between September 2019 and September 2021. The primary endpoints were the success rates of coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The secondary endpoints included successful distal radial artery puncture, access-site crossover, access site–related complications, bleeding events, and predictors of puncture failure. ResultsA total of 4,977 among 5,712 screened patients were recruited after the exclusion of 735 patients. The primary endpoints, the success rates of CAG and PCI via DRA, were 100% and 98.8%, respectively, among successful punctures of the distal radial artery (94.4%). Access-site crossover occurred in 333 patients (6.7%). The rates of distal radial artery occlusion and radial artery occlusion by palpation were 0.8% (36 of 4,340) and 0.8% (33 of 4,340) at 1-month follow-up. DRA-related bleeding events were observed in 3.3% of patients, without serious hematoma. Multilevel logistic regression analysis identified weak pulse (OR: 9.994; 95% CI: 7.252-13.774) and DRA experience <100 cases (OR: 2.187; 95% CI: 1.383-3.456) as predictors of puncture failure. ConclusionsIn this large-scale prospective multicenter registry, DRA demonstrated high success rates of CAG and PCI, with a high rate of puncture success but low rates of distal radial artery occlusion, radial artery occlusion, bleeding events, and procedure-related complications. Weak pulse and DRA experience <100 cases were predictors of puncture failure. (Korean Prospective Registry for Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Distal Radial Approach [KODRA]; NCT04080700)

Distal radial approach for arterial pressure monitoring with a long catheter provides safe and stable monitoring in the intensive care unit: A single-center retrospective study.

To compare the distal radial artery approach (DRA) with a longer catheter to DRA with a shorter catheter in arterial catheter (AC) placement in the intensive care unit (ICU). This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of DRA with a long catheter (60 mm) for arterial catheterization in the ICU. DRA with a short catheter (25-30 mm) was used in the control group, and the groups were compared using multivariate regression analysis. The primary study endpoint was the incidence of unplanned AC removal. The secondary endpoint was the incidence of other inappropriate events, namely loss of arterial pressure waveforms, bleeding, catheter-related infection, pressure ulcer, and other complications associated with the AC. In this study, the DRA with a long catheter was used in 50 patients. No unplanned AC removals or other inappropriate events occurred, and there were no complications associated with the DRA. The DRA procedural success rate was 100%. There was no significant difference in hemostasis times between the groups. Loss of arterial waveforms was an early predictor of unplanned AC removal. The DRA with a long catheter provided stable monitoring and was associated with a low unplanned removal rate. This method has the advantages of fewer complications and shorter hemostasis time compared with the DRA with a short catheter, and may become a new AC option in the ICU.

Efficacy and safety of sheathless guiding catheter for distal radial approach

ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a sheathless guiding system in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with distal radial access (DRA). BackgroundHyperion™ Sheathless® guiding catheter (Asahi Intecc, Japan), one of the latest 6-Fr guiding systems for transradial PCI characterized by novel outer dilator, is considered to facilitate smooth insertion of the catheter to the artery and may contribute to further reduction of access site complications in DRA. MethodsBetween October 2018 and January 2023, 286 patients underwent PCI with a Hyperion™ Sheathless® guiding catheter with DRA at two Japanese hospitals. Procedural success, bleeding complications, and radial artery occlusion (RAO) detected by Doppler ultrasonography were assessed. ResultsMean age of the patients was 72.7 years, and 236 patients (82.5 %) were male. The target lesions were located in the right coronary artery, left anterior descending artery, left circumflex artery, and left main trunk in 81, 44, 50 patients, and 18 patients respectively. Procedural success rate was 99.7 % with no patients requiring conversion to conventional radial access. Two patients presented with a forearm hematoma equivalent to an Early Discharge After Transradial Stenting of Coronary Arteries Study hematoma classification Grade II and 23 with Grade I. No patient presented minor or major bleeding according to the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction bleeding classification. RAO at 30-day follow-up was observed in 6 out of 277 patients (2.2 %). Conclusions6-Fr sheathless guiding system for PCI via DRA is feasible and associated with a low incidence of access site complications.

Distal radial approach using a transdermal nitroglycerin patch : double-blinded randomized trial

Abstract Background The distal radial approach (DRA) provides a lower risk of radial artery occlusion than the conventional transradial approach (TRA) and has recently been used worldwide as an alternative access route for coronary catheterization. However, the small diameter of the distal radial artery causes difficulty in puncture and leads to DRA failure. Purpose The aim of this study is to elucidate whether a transdermal nitroglycerin patch improves the rate of successful DRA cannulation. Methods A total of 92 patients with angina pectoris scheduled for elective coronary angiography via DRA randomly received (1:1) a transdermal nitroglycerin patch pre-integrated with the covering material or only the covering material on their upper arm on the side of the puncture. The diameter of the distal radial artery was evaluated with ultrasound at baseline and after application. DRA procedures were performed in a double-blinded fashion. The primary outcome was the rate of successful palpation-guided distal radial artery cannulation with the first puncture. Results The nitroglycerin group had larger distal radial artery diameter after patch application than the no-treatment group (3.21 ± 0.68 mm vs. 2.71 ± 0.52 mm, P&amp;lt;0.001), but not at baseline (2.64 ± 0.48 mm vs. 2.64 ± 0.45 mm, P = 0.965, Figure 1).The nitroglycerin group had a significantly higher success rate of palpation-guided DRA cannulation with the first puncture than the no-treatment group (58.7% vs. 23.9%; P = 0.001; odds ratio, 4.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.9–11.0, Figure 2). Fewer punctures were required for successful sheath insertion in the nitroglycerin group compared with the no-treatment group (1 [1–5] vs. 3 [2–6]; P=0.019). Procedure time from puncture to sheath insertion was shorter in the nitroglycerin group, but the difference was not significant (142 [112–287] seconds vs. 202 [142–411] seconds; P=0.058). The incidence of vasospasm, hypotension (systolic blood pressure &amp;lt; 90 mmHg) before and during CAG, and puncture site hematoma was similar in the two groups. No patients experienced distal radial arterial occlusion. Conclusions The use of a transdermal nitroglycerin patch was associated with an increase in the diameter of the distal radial artery, higher success rate of DRA cannulation with the palpation-guided first puncture. The transdermal nitroglycerin patch has a potential to be an effective pretreatment for DRA.Changes in distal radial artery diameterResults of primary outcome

Feasibility and efficacy of a novel 6 french sheathless guiding catheter equipped with peel-off type external dilator for PCI with distal radial approach - a Japanese multicenter study

Abstract Introduction Recently, distal radial access has emerged as a promising alternative access to minimize access site complications. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate feasibility and efficacy of a novel 6-Fr sheathless guiding catheter system equipped with peel off type outer dilator for the patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention through distal radial artery. Methods Between Oct 2018 and January 2023, a total of 168 patients including 27 patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction underwent percutaneous coronary intervention using a 6-Fr novel sheathless guiding catheter in 2 Japanese hospitals with distal radial approach. The guiding catheter system include a 6-Fr guiding catheter and an inner and outer (peel-off type)dilater to prevent potential vascular damage during passage of the tip of the catheter. After puncture of the distal radial artery with 22 gause needle, a 0.025 inch guidewire with 220 cm length was inserted. Then, a seathless guiding catheter system equipped with both inner and outer sheath was advanced through skin surface for dilatation of puncture point. After peeling off the outer sheath, the catheter with inner sheath was advanced. Hemostatic method complies compression with a hemostatic pad and elastic bandage for 3 hours. Procedural success, bleeding complication and radial occlusion examined using Doppler ultrasound at discharge was accessed. Results Mean age of the patients was 72.1 ± 11.3 years old and 114 patients were male. Procedural success was 100 % with no patient requiring conversion to conventional radial access. The culprit lesion was located in the right coronary artery in 45 patients, the left anterior descending artery in 86 patients, the left circumflex artery in 21 patients, and the left main trunk in 12 patients. Doppler ultrasound examination of the distal radial artery at 1-day follow-up was available in all patients, with 2 patients (1.2%) was found to have radial artery occlusion. One patient (0.6%) presented forearm hematoma equivalent to EASY hematoma classification I and 4 patients (2.4%) showed dorsum hematoma. Conclusions The current study demonstrated that the use of a novel sheathless guiding catheter with outer dilator for distal radial approach in PCI was feasible and may contribute further reduction of procedure-related complications.peel-off type outer dilaterinsertion procedure

Abstract 15008: Novel Sheathless Guiding Catheter Equipped With Peel-Off External Dilator for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Distal Radial Approach - A Multicenter Study

Objectives: Hyperion Sheathless guiding catheter (Asahi Intecc) is a novel guiding system for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) which is equipped with peel-off type outer dilator to facilitate smooth insertion of catheter tip. The aim of this study was to access feasibility and efficacy of this system for the patients who underwent PCI through distal radial artery. Methods: A total of 179 patients underwent PCI using a 6-Fr Hyperion sheathless guiding catheter in 2 hospitals. Of those, 168 patients including 27 patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction were treated with distal radial approach. Procedural success, bleeding complication and radial occlusion examined using Doppler ultrasound at discharge was accessed. Results: Mean age of the patients was 72.1 +/- 11.3 years and 114 patients were male. Procedural success was 100 % with no patient requiring conversion to conventional radial access. Doppler ultrasound examination of the distal radial artery at 1-day follow-up was available in all patients, with 2 patients (1.2%) was found to have radial artery occlusion. One patient presented forearm hematoma equivalent to EASY hematoma classification I and 4 patients showed dorsum hematoma. Conclusions: The current study illustrated that the use of the Hyperion Sheathless guiding catheter for distal radial PCI was feasible and associated with a low rate of procedure-related complications even in the patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Efficacy and Safety of Distal Radial Artery Approach for Coronary Angiography: A Retrospective Study

Background: The distal radial artery approach has been employed as a potential alternative technique for coronary angiography. Nevertheless, its clinical implementation is significantly constrained by the narrow diameter of the radial artery. A comprehensive investigation of the efficacy and safety of the distal radial artery approach for coronary angiography is lacking. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of the distal radial artery approach for coronary angiography and transradial artery access for interventional diagnosis and treatment. In addition, the effectiveness and safety of the distal radial artery approach for coronary artery angiography will be analyzed, for the wider adoption of this technique in clinical practice. Methods: A total of 68 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) who underwent coronary catheterization via the left distal radial artery approach from December 2020 to December 2022 using the Distal radial artery approach (TRA) comprised the case-control study group. Seventy-three CHD patients who underwent routine left Transradial Artery Access coronary catheterization were selected as the Regular TRA group during the same period. Clinical data including age, body mass index (BMI), gender, CHD risk factors, routine drug treatment, ultrasonic-related indicators and operation-related indicators were collected from electronic medical records and the catheterization database from the two groups of patients. Results: The diameter and Endothelium-dependent vasodilation (noe FMD) of puncture vessels in the Distal TRA group were significantly lower than those in the Regular radial artery approach (TRA) group (p-value &lt; 0.05). After a period of 48 hours following the catheterization, the puncture vessel diameter and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the Distal TRA group were significantly lower compared to those of the Regular TRA group (p-value &lt; 0.05). The effectiveness of transradial artery access was then compared between the two groups. It was determined that the Distal TRA group exhibited significantly higher values in terms of the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score, puncture time, and heparin usage, in comparison to the Regular TRA group (p-value &lt; 0.05). The occurrence rates of local hematoma, mediastinal hematoma, retroperitoneal hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, vagal reflex, vasospasm, blood transfusion, and other complications among patients in the Distal TRA group were comparable to those in the Regular TRA group (p-value &gt; 0.05). The incidence of puncture and X-ray radiation in the Distal TRA group was found to be marginally higher compared to the Regular TRA group. This study suggests that the safety profile of patients undergoing coronary artery catheterization via the distal radial artery is relatively higher than those undergoing the procedure via the transradial artery, although the difference was not statistically significant (p-value &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: The Distal radial artery approach can be used for conducting comprehensive coronary interventional diagnosis and treatment procedures, offering benefits such as reduced postoperative compression time, better hemostasis through the distal radial artery approach, and enhanced patient comfort. This approach demonstrates favorable efficacy and safety, making it a suitable routine puncture method for clinical treatment.

TCT-47 Comparison of In-Snuff Box and Out-of-Snuff Box Access in Distal Radial Approach

TCT-47 Comparison of In-Snuff Box and Out-of-Snuff Box Access in Distal Radial Approach

Distal radial approach. A "new" arterial approach for coronary artery catheterization

Distal radial approach. A "new" arterial approach for coronary artery catheterization

Post catheterization radial artery pseudo aneurysm: endovascular treatment with a ­covered stent through a distal radial approach

Post catheterization radial artery pseudo aneurysm: endovascular treatment with a ­covered stent through a distal radial approach

Feasibility and Efficacy of a Novel Sheathless Guiding Catheter Equipped With Peel-Off External Dilator for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Distal Radial Approach – A Japanese Multicenter Study

Feasibility and Efficacy of a Novel Sheathless Guiding Catheter Equipped With Peel-Off External Dilator for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Distal Radial Approach – A Japanese Multicenter Study

Distal Radial Approach in Coronary Angiography Using a Transdermal Nitroglycerin Patch: Double-Blinded Randomized Trial

Nitroglycerin dilates the radial artery and prevents spasm, which increases the success rate of sheath cannulation through the conventional transradial approach. However, the effects of nitroglycerin on distal radial approach (DRA) procedures are not known. The aim of this study is to elucidate whether a transdermal nitroglycerin patch improves the rate of successful DRA cannulation. A total of 92 patients scheduled for coronary angiography by means of DRA randomly received (1:1) a transdermal nitroglycerin patch preintegrated with the covering material or only the covering material on their upper arm on the side of the puncture. The diameter of the distal radial artery was evaluated with ultrasound at baseline and after application. DRA procedures were performed in a double-blind fashion. The primary outcome was the rate of successful palpation-guided distal radial artery cannulation with the first puncture. The nitroglycerin group had larger distal radial artery diameter after patch application than that of the no-treatment group (mean, 3.21 mm vs 2.71mm, p <0.001), but not at baseline (mean, 2.64 mm vs 2.64mm, p=0.965).The nitroglycerin group had a significantly higher success rate of DRA cannulation with the first puncture than that of the no-treatment group (59% vs 24%, p=0.001; odds ratio 4.5, 95% confidence interval 1.9 to 11.0). The nitroglycerin group required fewer punctures than did the no-treatment group (median, 1 vs 3, p=0.019). There were no significant differences in the occurrence of hypotension between the 2 groups. No patients experienced radial artery occlusion. In conclusion, transdermal nitroglycerin patch application safely facilitates DRA cannulation. Trial Registration: Japan Registry of Clinical Trials, https://jrct.niph.go.jp/ (identifier: jRCTs051210128).

Feasibility and safety of left distal trans-radial approach for coronary angiogram and percutaneous coronary intervention in a center in Hong Kong.

The left distal trans-radial approach is not only more convenient for the operator than the conventional left forearm radial approach, it is also more comfortable for right-hand patients during the peri-procedural period. Comparing with conventional approach, it has lower bleeding risk, less pain and lower risk of radial artery occlusion. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and the safety of left distal trans-radial approach for coronary angiogram and percutaneous coronary intervention in Hong Kong Chinese who had smaller body built and therefore smaller radial arterial size. In this single-center prospective study, 72 patients undergoing elective coronary angiography and/or percutaneous coronary intervention were recruited from August to October 2018. All right-handed patients aged 18 or above undergoing elective procedures during the period were recruited. Exclusion criteria were non-palpable radial arteries, pregnancies, incapability to consent, abnormal Allen's test, and emergency procedures. Sixty patients (42 males, age ranging from 45 to 86 years old) were recruited and underwent the procedures via left distal radial approach. The measurements during access establishment, the procedure details, complications, patients' satisfaction, and arterial occlusion rate were studied. The procedures with left distal radial approach were successful in 51 patients (85%). Crossover rate to conventional right radial approach was 15% (nine patients). Among successful cases, the mean patients' satisfaction was 8.32/10 and the mean pain score was 1.6/10. Post-procedural radial artery occlusion was not encountered. Left distal radial approach is a feasible alternative for patients undergoing coronary angiography and/or percutaneous coronary intervention in Hong Kong Chinese patients. It provides good comfortability with minimal pain in right-handed patients. The risk of radial artery occlusion is minimal.

Alternative (Transulnar or Distal Radial) Arterial Access for Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (Subanalysis from the Minimalistic Hybrid Approach Algorithm Registry)

The transradial approach (TRA) has become the primary choice for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); however, it may not be always feasible because of clinical and/or technical challenges. Alternative forearm accesses, such as transulnar approach (TUA) and distal radial approach (dTRA) may allow maintaining a wrist approach for the procedure, avoiding the femoral artery. This issue is particularly relevant in patients who underwent multiple revascularizations, such as those with chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. This study aimed to evaluate whether the use of TUA and/or dTRA is comparable with TRA in CTO PCI using a minimalistic hybrid approach algorithm, which limits the number of accesses used to minimize vascular access complications. Patients with CTO PCI treated solely through a fully alternative approach (TUA and/or dTRA) were compared with those treated solely through a standard TRA approach. The primary efficacy end point was procedural success, whereas the primary safety end point was the composite of major adverse cardiac and cerebral events and vascular complications. Of 201 CTO PCIs attempted, 154 procedures were considered for analysis (standard, n = 104, alternative, n = 50). Alternative and standard groups demonstrated comparable rates of both procedural success (92% vs 94.2%, p = 0.70) and primary safety end point (4.8% vs 6.0%, p = 0.70). Of interest, 7 French guiding catheters were more frequently used in the alternative group (44% vs 26%, p = 0.028). In conclusion, CTO PCI after minimalistic hybrid approach by way of alternative forearm vascular accesses (dTRA and/or TUA) is feasible and safe to perform, compared with CTO PCI by way of standard TRA.

Diagnostic Cerebral Angiography Through Distal Transradial Access: Early Experience with a Promising Access Route.

Over the last few years, there has been considerable interest in the neurointervention community to use transradial approach for diagnostic and therapeutic neurointerventions. Distal radial approach has been postulated as an effective technique with reduced risk of hand ischemia. Our objective was to assess the safety and feasibility of distal transradial access (DTRA) to perform diagnostic cerebral angiography. A retrospective evaluation of 25 patients who were taken for DTRA through the anatomical snuff box from December 2021 to March 2022 was done. Twenty-five diagnostic cerebral angiographies were attempted with DTRA in 25 patients (age, 23-70 years; mean age, 45.4 years; 10 (40%) females). The right distal radial artery mean diameter was 2.09 mm. The procedure was successful in 21 (84%) procedures. Failure was seen in four cases, with three being converted to the proximal transradial approach without any need for redraping and one was converted to the transfemoral approach. The reason for access conversion was a severe spasm in three cases and dissection in one case. Selective catheterization of the cranial vessels through a distal transradial approach was achieved in 92 (96.8%) of 95 vessels. No significant access site complications were seen in the study cohort. DTRA is a promising approach for diagnostic cerebral angiography. Interventionists should get accustomed to this approach by overcoming the initial learning curve.