Increase In Fluoroscopy Time Research Articles

Impact of resident training on cardiac electrophysiological procedures

BackgroundModern management of cardiac arrhythmias often requires interventions in which young physicians must acquire a high level of expertise. However, concerns have been raised about the increase in side effects during procedures performed with resident involvement. AimThis study aims to identify the effects of resident training on cardiac electrophysiological procedures within a university centre. MethodsIn a single-centre study, cardiac arrhythmia procedures were reviewed retrospectively, and resident involvement was scrutinized. Univariate and multivariable models were built for the following outcomes: fluoroscopy time; operative time; length of hospitalization after procedure; and adverse events. ResultsWe reviewed 991 procedures, 574 without and 417 with resident involvement (650 cardiac pacemakers or defibrillators, 120 generator replacements, 188 electrophysiological studies and 153 radiofrequency ablations). Resident involvement was associated with an increase in fluoroscopy time: +1.7±0.4minutes (P<0.01) for pacemaker implantation; and +2.5±0.9minutes (P=0.01) for electrophysiological studies. Operative time was longer for electrophysiological studies (+10.8±4.9minutes; P=0.03) and pacing implantation (+8.4±2.2minutes; P<0.01). There was no significant association between resident training and adverse events (7.67 vs. 9.83%; P=0.28). ConclusionsCardiac electrophysiological procedures performed with resident involvement have a good safety profile. However, resident training modestly, but significantly, prolongs fluoroscopy time and operative time.

Comprehensive Learning Curve Analysis of a Long-Term Experience With Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

Purpose: To analyze the learning curve for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in a single center over a period of 25 years. Materials and Methods: In total, 390 consecutive standard TEVAR procedures undertaken between 1996 and 2021 were included in a retrospective, observational, single-center study. Cumulative sum charts were elaborated for the entire center experience (primary outcome) as well as for the first and second implanting physicians. Data on procedural variables (contrast volume, operative and fluoroscopy time), 30-day major adverse events (MAEs) and clinical success, and endoleak and reintervention rates were secondary outcomes and subdivided into 4 quartiles of experience (Q1–Q4) or presented as first 2 versus latest 2 quartiles (Q1–Q2 vs Q3–Q4). Results: The mean follow-up was 4.3±4.0 years. The center’s learning curve was achieved after 75 procedures, and it was similar for the first implanting physician. The surgeon coming thereafter had a significantly shorter curve (10 TEVARs). Comparing Q1–Q2 with Q3–Q4, 30-day MAEs (16.1 vs 11.3%, p=0.164), 30-day mortality (11.4% vs 3.6%, p=0.003), and intraoperative additional maneuvers (21.5% vs 13.3%, p=0.033) were reduced along with an improvement in clinical success (85.9% vs 90.3%, p=0.190). From Q1 to Q4, operative time (139.8±65.5 to 76.7±43.7 min, p=0.001), fluoroscopy time (15.1±8.8 to 7.1±5.1 min, p<0.001), and contrast volume (244.0±112.1 to 104.3±46.1 mL, p<0.001) showed a considerable reduction. Late endoleak and aortic-related mortality declined significantly from Q1–Q2 to Q3–Q4 (24.1% to 15.5%, p=0.033 and 18.6% vs 8.2%, p=0.006, respectively). Operative time (p=0.021), contrast volume (p=0.016), and fluoroscopy time (p=0.004) were independent risk factors for endoleak, causing a 1.3-fold risk increase for both each 60 minutes of additional operative time (p=0.021) and every 100 mL of additional contrast medium (p=0.016). Each 10-minute increase in fluoroscopy time determined a 1.4-fold risk increment (p=0.004). Conclusion: The learning curve shortened significantly over time with non-negligible clinical outcome improvements, suggesting that specific endovascular training is mandatory to become an effective TEVAR performer. Clinical Impact For the first time in literature, the standard TEVAR’s learning curve has been evaluated at a single vascular surgery center over a period of 25 years. The learning curve for the center and the first physician historically undertaking TEVAR was achieved at the 75th treated patient. The learning curve of the surgeons coming thereafter was significantly shorter (10 cases). This quarter-century demonstrated that intraoperative learning-related variables were associated with long-term clinical outcomes and all have improved over time. Centers approaching TEVAR for the first time and training program providers could use these data to aim to offer better clinical outcomes.

Intraprocedural PRAETORIAN score for early assessment of S-ICD implantation: A proof-of-concept study.

The PRAETORIAN score (PS) was developed to assess the implant position and predict defibrillation success of the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators (S-ICD). The main critique moved to the routine use of PS has been its postprocedural timing, that limits its usefulness on procedure guidance. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to assess the feasibility of an intraprocedural use of PS. Forty consecutive patients undergoing S-ICD implantation were enrolled. Intraprocedural PS (IP-PS) obtained with fluoroscopy before closure of the pocket and postprocedural PS (PP-PS) obtained with two-views chest X-ray were compared. Intraprocedural data and PS were compared with the historic cohorts of the involved institutions. When assessing IP-PS and PP-PS, a complete overall agreement was observed (100%, 1.00-κ; p < .001). When assessing a per-step agreement, a very high-degree of concordance in evaluating Step 1 of the PS was observed (95%, 0.81-κ; p < .001). A complete agreement in Step 2-3 (100%, 1.00-κ; p < .001) of the PS was reported. In comparison with our historical cohort, procedural time in the IP-PS cohort did not increase (45 [41-52] vs. 45 [39-49] min; p = .351) while the expected increase in fluoroscopy time resulted scarce (15 [10-15] s). An IP-PS can be reliably obtained using fluoroscopy guidance during S-ICD implantation, without a significant increase in procedural duration and may serve as guidance for implanting physicians, to avoid postprocedural S-ICD repositioning, leading to patient discomfort and significantly enhancing infective risks. IP-PS showed a very high agreement with the PP-PS obtained from two-views chest X-ray.

Radiation exposure in the treatment of pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures.

To determine the factors that influence radiation exposure during repair of supracondylar humerus fractures. Medical records of almost 200 children with supracondylar fractures were retrospectively analyzed for variables correlated with fluoroscopy time and radiation dose as measures of radiation exposure. There was no statistically significant difference in fluoroscopy time (27 vs. 22s p = 0.345) or direct radiation dose (0.394 vs. 0.318mSv p = 0.290) between uniplanar and biplanar C-arm use. No statistically significant differences in fluoroscopy time or radiation dose were found for surgical technique, comorbid ipsilateral fractures, preoperative neurovascular compromise, or resident participation. There was a significant 8.3s increase in fluoroscopy time (p = 0.022) and 0.249mSv increase in radiation dose (p = 0.020) as the fracture type increased from II to III. An increase in one pin during CRPP resulted in a statistically significant 10.4s increase in fluoroscopy time and a 0.205mSv increase in radiation dose. There were significant differences between the physician with the lowest fluoroscopy time and radiation dose compared with the physicians with the two highest values for both fluoroscopy time and radiation dose (p < 0.01). We found no significant difference in direct radiation exposure or fluoroscopy time when comparing biplanar to uniplanar C-arm use, resident participation, preoperative neurovascular compromise, or for comorbid ipsilateral fractures. Both outcomes increased significantly as fracture type increased from II to III and as the number of pins used during CRPP increased. Both outcomes were significantly different between the surgeons performing CRPP.

Feasibility of using ultra-low pulse rate fluoroscopy during routine diagnostic coronary angiography.

IntroductionCoronary angiogram, while a powerful diagnostic tool in coronary artery disease, is not without an associated risk from ionising radiation. There are a number of factors that influence the amount of radiation the patient receives during the procedure, some of which are under the control of the operator. One of these is an adjustment of the fluoroscopic pulse rate. This study aims to assess the feasibility of using ultra‐low pulse rate (3 pulses per second(pps)) fluoroscopy during routine diagnostic coronary angiogram procedures and the effect it has on fluoroscopy time, diagnostic clarity and radiation dose.MethodsA retrospective study of three operators each undertaking 50 coronary angiogram procedures was performed. One of the operators used a pulse rate of 3 pps and 6 pps for fluoroscopic screening while the control groups used the standard 10 pps mode utilised at this centre.ResultsResults demonstrated no reduction of diagnostic clarity, up to a 58% reduction in Dose Area Product and no increase in fluoroscopy time with the 3 pps setting.ConclusionsFindings from this pilot study suggest that utilisation of ultra‐low pulse rate fluoroscopy in routine transfemoral diagnostic coronary angiography in the catheterisation laboratory is feasible.

Use of the Zenith Fenestrated platform to rescue failing endovascular and open aortic reconstructions is safe and technically feasible

ObjectiveProximal neck dilation is a serious long-term complication directly causing the failure of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and open surgical repair (OSR) of abdominal aortic aneurysms. However, the implantation of a fenestrated device presents the opportunity for proximal extension of the aortic reconstruction into a healthy segment while maintaining patency of the visceral vessels. The objective of this investigation was to report perioperative and follow-up outcomes using the Zenith Fenestrated (ZFEN; Cook Medical, Bloomington, Ind) aortic stent system in salvaging previous aortic repairs undergoing type IA endoleak or aneurysmal degeneration of the proximal neck. MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained institutional database capturing all fenestrated EVAR (FEVAR) cases with the ZFEN platform. Fenestrated cases were classified as primary FEVAR or reoperative FEVAR (rFEVAR) after previous EVAR or OSR. Cohort comparisons were performed using Fisher exact tests and Student t-tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. ResultsBetween October 2012 and March 2017, a total of 103 patients diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysm with an inadequate proximal seal zone for traditional EVAR were treated with ZFEN. In 12 patients, FEVAR was performed as a reoperation after previous EVAR (n = 6) or OSR (n = 6). The indications for rFEVAR were proximal neck dilation (>55 mm) after OSR (n = 6), type IA endoleak after EVAR (n = 5), and proximal neck dilation after EVAR without endoleak (n = 1). No difference in ability to achieve technical success was observed between primary FEVAR and rFEVAR (97.8% vs 100%; P = 1.00). In addition, there were no differences in estimated blood loss (363 vs 500 mL; P = .25) and intraoperative use of contrast material (97.3 vs 104.0 mL; P = .55). However, a significant increase in fluoroscopy time (61.1 vs 79.8 minutes; P = .04), radiation exposure (415.9 vs 606.3 rad; P = .02), and operative time (228.4 vs 287.6 minutes; P = .03) in the rFEVAR cohort was observed. In the 30-day perioperative period, there were no significant differences with regard to mortality (2.2% vs 0%; P = 1.0), major adverse cardiovascular events (5.5% vs 0%, P = 1.0), and stent-related adverse events (2.2% vs 0%; P = 1.0). There were no differences in rates of perioperative (5.5% vs 0%; P = 1.0) or follow-up reintervention after a mean follow-up duration of 20.8 months (18.6% vs 25.0%; P = .70). ConclusionsFEVAR with the ZFEN platform of failed and failing aortic reconstructions due to disease progression is safe and feasible without increased morbidity and mortality in select patients. These preliminary results support the inclusion of ZFEN as a treatment option for aortic reintervention.

Impact of targeting adenosine-induced transient venous reconnection in patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis of 3524 patients.

Atrial fibrillation recurrences after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) are not uncommon and are frequently related to pulmonary vein reconnection. Adenosine/ATP can reveal dormant pulmonary vein conduction after PVI. Previous studies revealed that adenosine-guided Additional ablation could improve arrhythmia-free survival. We performed a meta-analysis to assess the impact of additional ablation to eliminate adenosine-induced transient pulmonary vein reconnection in terms of atrial fibrillation recurrence at follow-up. MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library and references reporting atrial fibrillation ablation and adenosine/ATP-following PVI were screened, and studies were included if they matched inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 3524 patients were enrolled with a median follow-up of 13 (6-20) months. Overall, 70% (60-85) of patients in ATP-guided ablation vs. 63% (48-79) in no ATP-guided ablation were free of atrial fibrillation at follow-up. Pooled results revealed that ATP-guided ablation reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence of 42% [odds ratio (OR) 0.58, 0.41-0.81], but this result was primary because of the contribution of retrospective over-randomized studies [OR 0.48 (0.35-0.65) vs. 0.76 (0.42-1.40), respectively]. 3.2% of patients experienced an adverse event. ATP-guided ablation is related to a nonsignificant increase in fluoroscopy time (OR 1.71, 0.98-2.96) and to a significant increase in procedure time (OR 2.84, 1.32-6.09). Additional ablation aiming to eliminate adenosine-induced transient pulmonary vein reconnection failed to reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence at follow-up. Moreover, although adenosine-guided PVI is not affected by an augmented risk of adverse events, it is associated with a NS increased fluoroscopy exposure and significantly longer procedure duration. Further studies are required to identify the actual role of adenosine in PVI.

Rate and Risk Factors for Delayed Healing Following Surgical Treatment of Lateral Condyle Humerus Fractures in Children.

Lateral condyle humerus fracture nonunion after surgical fixation has been reported to be <1%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate and risk factors for delayed healing of pediatric lateral condyle fractures after surgical fixation. Retrospective study of all operatively treated lateral condyle fractures at a single institution from 2006 to 2013 was performed. Radiographic evaluation included: measured fracture displacement at both presentation and after surgical fixation, fracture classification, and multiple parameters of pin configuration. Patients who had delayed healing were defined as those not healed by the eighth week of follow-up and were compared with those fractures that healed in <8 weeks to identify risk factors associated with delayed healing. Purposeful selection was utilized to identify factors for entry into a multivariate binary logistic regression model. A total of 210 children were evaluated. Mean follow-up was 25 weeks (4 wk to 5 y). Distribution of Weiss classification was as follows: type 1, 8 (4%); type 2, 61 (29%); and type 3, 141 (67%). There were 33 (16%) delayed unions and 7 of these (3% of the entire cohort) required further surgery to achieve healing. Weiss classification, intraoperative fluoroscopy time, and intraoperative displacement after fixation met criteria for entry into the regression. While Weiss classification did not remain significant within the model, its removal resulted in a 30% change in the parameter estimate for intraoperative fluoroscopy time. For each second increase in fluoroscopy time, there is a 3% increase in the risk of delayed healing. Patients with >1 mm displacement of the lateral cortex after fixation had an increased risk of delayed healing (OR=4.78, P=0.007). Delayed union of lateral condyle fractures is a matter of concern, and the rate of secondary surgery to achieve healing appears to be higher than previously reported. Risks for delayed healing include amount of residual displacement after reduction and the difficulty in attaining that reduction, as defined by fluoroscopy time. Level IV-therapeutic study, case series.

Spot fluoroscopy: a novel innovative approach to reduce radiation dose in neurointerventional procedures.

BackgroundIncreased interest in radiation dose reduction in neurointerventional procedures has led to the development of a method called “spot fluoroscopy” (SF), which enables the operator to collimate a rectangular or square region of interest anywhere within the general field of view. This has potential advantages over conventional collimation, which is limited to symmetric collimation centered over the field of view.PurposeTo evaluate the effect of SF on the radiation dose.Material and MethodsThirty-five patients with intracranial aneurysms were treated with endovascular coiling. SF was used in 16 patients and conventional fluoroscopy in 19. The following parameters were analyzed: the total fluoroscopic time, the total air kerma, the total fluoroscopic dose-area product, and the fluoroscopic dose-area product rate. Statistical differences were determined using the Welch’s t-test.ResultsThe use of SF led to a reduction of 50% of the total fluoroscopic dose-area product (CF = 106.21 Gycm2, SD = 99.06 Gycm2 versus SF = 51.80 Gycm2, SD = 21.03 Gycm2, p = 0.003884) and significant reduction of the total fluoroscopic dose-area product rate (CF = 1.42 Gycm2/min, SD = 0.57 Gycm2/s versus SF = 0.83 Gycm2/min, SD = 0.37 Gycm2/min, p = 0.00106). The use of SF did not lead to an increase in fluoroscopy time or an increase in total fluoroscopic cumulative air kerma, regardless of collimation.ConclusionThe SF function is a new and promising tool for reduction of the radiation dose during neurointerventional procedures.

The Impact of Body Mass Index on Fluoroscopy Time During Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection; A Multicenter Cohort Study.

This study aimed to assess the relationship between BMI and fluoroscopy time during lumbar epidural steroid injections (LESIs) performed for lumbosacral radicular pain. Multicenter retrospective cohort study. Three academic, outpatient pain treatment centers. Patients who underwent fluoroscopically guided LESI. Mean and standard deviation (SD) fluoroscopy time were compared between patients with normal (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥30.0 kg/m2) BMI. Statistical significance was set at P=0.01 due to multiple comparisons. A total of 2,930 procedure encounters were included, consisting of 598 interlaminar LESIs and 2,332 transforaminal LESIs. Fluoroscopy time was significantly longer in the obese patients compared to normal and overweight patients during interlaminar LESI (P < 0.01). Fluoroscopy time was significantly longer with each increasing BMI category in during transforaminal LESI (P < 0.01). These relationships remained when a trainee was involved (P < 0.01; P<0.01), during repeat injections (P < 0.01; P < 0.01), and during bilateral transforaminal LESIs (P < 0.01). While longer fluoroscopy times were required in high BMI categories during L5-S1 transforaminal LESI (P < 0.01), there was no relationship between fluoroscopy time and BMI during L4-L5 and S1 transforaminal LESI (P = 0.02; P = 0.13). Fluoroscopy time during interlaminar LESI compared to transforaminal LESI was significantly lower within all BMI categories (all P<0.01). The findings of this study indicate that fluoroscopy time is increased during interlaminar LESIs and during L5-S1 transforaminal LESIs in patients who are obese. These relationships are not affected by injection number, performance of bilateral injections, or trainee involvement. Further study is needed to determine if this increase in fluoroscopy time is indicative of a clinically significant associated increase in radiation dose.

The Impact of Transradial versus Transfemoral Approach for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention on the Outcome of Patients Presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background: the transfemoral approach (TFA) has been until presently the main-stay for arterial access PCI in the setting of acute STEMI, while the transradial approach (TRA) is gaining ground in elective as well as primary procedures. Objectives: to assess the impact of transradial versus transfemoral approach for PCI on the outcome of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Patients and Methods: prospective study was conducted on 100 patients presenting to Ain Shams University Hospitals Coronary Care Unit (CCU) with recent onset acute coronary syndrome (whether unstable angina (UA)/non–ST-segment-elevation MI (NSTEMI) or ST-segment-elevation MI (STEMI)) undergoing revascularization via percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients were randomized into 2 equal groups, for the first group PCI was performed via TFA while for the second group via TRA. Results: our study found that, with TRA we get less bleeding, less local vascular complications [8 (16%) vs 2 (4%), p=0.045] & less amount of dye used (169.60 ± 21.28 versus 187.00 ± 37.65 ml, p=0.006) without significant increase in fluoroscopy time (10.86 ±4.88 versus 9.76 ±4.74 mins, p=0.256) or radiation exposure. Although there was no significant difference in mortality and morbidity, TRA offers the patient a more simple procedure with less hospital stay (3.4 ±0.948 versus 3.86 ±0.808 days, p<0.01). Conclusion: radial artery access is a safe and effective approach for management of ACS. If performed by experienced operators, TRA should be the standard access in managing ACS specifically in STEMI.

Radiation exposure in relation to the arterial access site used for diagnostic coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Transradial access for cardiac catheterisation results in lower bleeding and vascular complications than the traditional transfemoral access route. However, the increased radiation exposure potentially associated with transradial access is a possible drawback of this method. Whether transradial access is associated with a clinically significant increase in radiation exposure that outweighs its benefits is unclear. Our aim was therefore to compare radiation exposure between transradial access and transfemoral access for diagnostic coronary angiograms and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). We did a systematic review and meta-analysis of the scientific literature by searching the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases with relevant terms, and cross-referencing relevant articles for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared radiation parameters in relation to access site, published from Jan 1, 1989, to June 3, 2014. Three investigators independently sorted the potentially relevant studies, and two others extracted data. We focused on the primary radiation outcomes of fluoroscopy time and kerma-area product, and used meta-regression to assess the changes over time. Secondary outcomes were operator radiation exposure and procedural time. We used both fixed-effects and random-effects models with inverse variance weighting for the main analyses, and we did confirmatory analyses for observational studies. Of 1252 records identified, we obtained data from 24 published RCTs for 19 328 patients. Our primary analyses showed that transradial access was associated with a small but significant increase in fluoroscopy time for diagnostic coronary angiograms (weighted mean difference [WMD], fixed effect: 1·04 min, 95% CI 0·84-1·24; p<0·0001) and PCI (1·15 min, 95% CI 0·96-1·33; p<0·0001), compared with transfemoral access. Transradial access was also associated with higher kerma-area product for diagnostic coronary angiograms (WMD, fixed effect: 1·72 Gy·cm(2), 95% CI -0·10 to 3·55; p=0·06), and significantly higher kerma-area product for PCI (0·55 Gy·cm(2), 95% CI 0·08-1·02; p=0·02). Mean operator radiation doses for PCI with basic protection were 107 μSv (SD 110) with transradial access and 74 μSv (68) with transfemoral access; with supplementary protection, the doses decreased to 21 μSv (17) with transradial access and 46 μSv (9) with transfemoral. Meta-regression analysis showed that the overall difference in fluoroscopy time between the two procedures has decreased significantly by 75% over the past 20 years from 2 min in 1996 to about 30 s in 2014 (p<0·0001). In observational studies, differences and effect sizes remained consistent with RCTs. Transradial access was associated with a small but significant increase in radiation exposure in both diagnostic and interventional procedures compared with transfemoral access. Since differences in radiation exposure narrow over time, the clinical significance of this small increase is uncertain and is unlikely to outweigh the clinical benefits of transradial access. None.

Patient Radiation Dose Reduction during Transarterial Chemoembolization Using a Novel X-Ray Imaging Platform

PurposeTo evaluate radiation dose reduction in patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization with the use of a new image acquisition and processing platform. Materials and MethodsRadiation-dose data were obtained from 176 consecutive chemoembolization procedures in 135 patients performed in a single angiography suite. From January 2013 through October 2013, 85 procedures were performed by using our institution’s standard fluoroscopic settings. After upgrading the x-ray fluoroscopy system with an image acquisition and processing platform designed to reduce image noise and reduce skin entrance dose, 91 chemoembolization procedures were performed from November 2013 through December 2014. Cumulative dose–area product (CDAP), cumulative air kerma (CAK), and total fluoroscopy time were recorded for each procedure. Image quality was assessed by three interventional radiologists blinded to the x-ray acquisition platform used. ResultsPatient radiation dose indicators were significantly lower for chemoembolization procedures performed with the novel imaging platform. Mean CDAP decreased from 3,033.2 dGy·cm2 (range, 600.3–9,404.1 dGy·cm2) to 1,640.1 dGy·cm2 (range, 278.6–6,779.9 dGy·cm2; 45.9% reduction; P < .00001). Mean CAK decreased from 1,445.4 mGy (range, 303.6–5,233.7 mGy) to 971.7 mGy (range, 144.2–3,512.0 mGy; 32.8% reduction; P < .0001). A 20.3% increase in mean total fluoroscopy time was noted after upgrading the imaging platform, but blinded analysis of the image quality revealed no significant degradation. ConclusionsAlthough a small increase in fluoroscopy time was observed, a significant reduction in patient radiation dose was achieved by using the optimized imaging platform, without image quality degradation.

Comparison of Contrast Volume, Radiation Dose, Fluoroscopy Time, and Procedure Time in Previously Published Studies of Rotational Versus Conventional Coronary Angiography

Conventional coronary angiography (CA) with static imaging is limited by the ability to properly select the optimal acquisition angle, vessel foreshortening, and significant radiation exposure. Rotational coronary angiography (RA) acquires coronary images in a multitude of viewing angles during a single injection by means of a moving gantry that rapidly completes a predefined arc. This study compares procedural characteristics of CA and RA. Electronic search of databases such as OVID, Medline, and PubMed was conducted to identify studies comparing procedural characteristics of CA and RA. End points for analysis included contrast volume, radiation dose by dose area product, radiation dose by air kerma, fluoroscopy time, and procedure time. Studies were assessed for quality and bias and were included if they compared coronary imaging of both the right and left coronary systems with CA and RA, included one of the end points of interest, and were in English. A total of 11 studies consisting of 940 patients who underwent RA and 976 who underwent CA were included in the final analysis. Contrast volume, radiation dose by dose area product, and radiation dose by air kerma were all found to be significantly lower with RA compared with CA. There was a statistically significant increase in fluoroscopy time, although this was not clinically significant, and there was no difference in procedure time. RA angiography is a feasible alternative to CA and offers reductions in contrast used and radiation exposure.

Change in hospital-level use of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention and periprocedural outcomes: insights from the national cardiovascular data registry.

Whether increasing use of radial access has improved percutaneous coronary intervention outcomes remains unknown. We sought to determine the relationship between increasing facility-level use of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (TRI) and periprocedural outcomes. Within the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry, we estimated the risk-adjusted association between hospital category of change in TRI use (during the 3-year period from 2009 to 2012) and trends in access site and overall bleeding, fluoroscopy time, and contrast use among 818 facilities with low baseline TRI use. There were 4 categories of hospital change in TRI use: very low (baseline, 0.2% increasing to 1.8% at the end of 3 years), low (0.9% increasing to 8.9%), moderate (1.6% increasing to 27.2%), and high (1.0% increasing to 45.1%). Risk-adjusted access site bleeding decreased over time for all hospital categories; however, the rate of decline varied across hospital categories (P for interaction, <0.001). The decrease in access site bleeding was significantly greater for hospitals with moderate or high increases in TRI use (relative risk, 0.45, 95% confidence interval, 0.36-0.56) when compared with that of very low or low hospitals (relative risk, 0.65; 95% confidence interval, 0.58-0.74; P for comparison, 0.002). Similar findings were observed for overall bleeding. An increase in fluoroscopy time (≈1.3 minutes) was noted at hospitals with moderate and high use of TRI (P=0.01). Trends in contrast use were similar across hospital categories. In a national sample of hospitals performing percutaneous coronary intervention, bleeding rates decreased over time for all hospital categories of change in TRI use. The decline in bleeding outcomes was larger at hospitals with increased adoption of TRI when compared with hospitals with minimal or no change in TRI use.

Correlation of Fluoroscopy Utilization with ERCP Complexity Grade: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Purpose: Fluoroscopy time (FT) is a major determinant of fluoroscopy exposure during ERCP. It is a candidate to be one of the quality indicators for ERCP in the future. One determinant of FT may be the complexity of the procedure. ASGE recommended a new system to grade the ERCP complexity. Aim of this study is to measure the mean, median and 95% confidence interval of the FT for each ERCP complexity grade. Methods: This is a retrospective American multicenter study. The centers that participated are a tertiary center, a cancer center and a community hospital. After reviewing patients' charts, each ERCP case was assigned a complexity grade as defined by ASGE grading system. Then, we calculated the mean, the median and the 95% confidence interval of the FT for each ERCP complexity grade. Results: Four hundred fourteen ERCP cases were reviewed. A total of six cases were excluded due to unsuccessful ERCP (n=4), ERCP that involved placement of duodenal stent (n=1), and a rendezvous procedure (n=1). 57.7% of the patients were males. Average age of the patients was 60.2 years. Six endoscopists performed the procedures. Experience of endoscopists ranged from 1 year to 20 years. 49.2% of the procedures were performed without trainees. 50.7% of the cases involved native papillae. The average FT for all cases was 425 seconds (8 seconds to 3516 seconds). Procedures involving a trainee required longer FT (450 seconds vs. 399 seconds) but this did not reach statistical significance (P <0.23). Mean, median, mode and 95% confidence interval of the FT for each ERCP complexity grade are shown in table 1 and figure 1. Using one-way ANOVA, the FT time was significantly different between grades (P <0.05).Table 1: Mean, median, mode and 95% confidence interval of the Fluoroscopy Time (FT) for each ERCP complexity gradeFigure 1: Relationship between ERCP complexity grades and mean fluoroscopy time (FT) used during ERCP procedures.Conclusion: There is a significant increase in fluoroscopy time as ERCP complexity grade increases. This has clinical implications for patient and staff radiation exposure, and would need to be accounted for if fluoroscopy time is adopted as a quality measure.

Optimising laparoscopic cholangiography time using a simple cannulation technique

Opponents of the routine use of intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) express concern over its technical difficulty and the length of time it takes. To evaluate the impact of our cystic duct cannulation (CDC) technique, as implemented by one consultant and his trainees, on the IOC time. IOC is done routinely in all the laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LCs) undertaken in our unit. We carried out a prospective audit over a period of 18 months, recording the IOC time in consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic cholangiography (LC) with and without laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE). The total IOC time was considered to consist of two components: cystic duct cannulation (CDC) time and fluoroscopy time. The IOC time was further analysed according to the difficulty of cannulation and the operator experience. Special consideration was given to the LCBDE cases. We also describe the detailed steps of our CDC technique. Over a period of 18 months 243 patients underwent LC. IOC was completed in 240 patients (98.8% success rate). Of those, 194 were females (81%). The mean age was 50 years (range 18-85 years). The mean total IOC time was 6 min, with a CDC time of 2 min, and fluoroscopy time of 4 min. On further analysis, CDC was considered easy in 86% of cases with a mean CDC time of 1.5 min and total IOC time of 4.3 min. When cannulation was difficult (14% of cases) a cholangiography clamp had to be used to prevent leakage of contrast. In difficult cases, the CDC and IOC mean times were 5 and 8.5 min, respectively. As would be expected, trainees spent more time performing cannulation and completing the IOC than the specialist surgeon (3.8 versus 1.8 min, and 7.2 versus 5.6 min, respectively). These differences were statistically but not clinically significant. Similarly, the IOC time was also significantly increased in LCBDE (13 min). This was mainly due to an increase in fluoroscopy time (10 min) rather than CDC time (3 min). The IOC time could be optimised by using a simple and learnable cannulation technique to less than 5 min in most LCs. Surgeons should not, therefore, refrain from using this important investigation on selective or routine basis, subject to their policy for dealing with patients with suspected bile duct stones.