Outpatient cardiac catheterizations: analysis of patients requiring admission.

The purpose of this study was to review the results of the first 1,000 outpatient cardiac catheterizations performed at our hospital with special emphasis on patients who were hospitalized. Nearly all patients had percutaneous femoral artery catheterization using #8F catheters. There were no deaths. The major complications included two myocardial infarctions and four cerebral emboli. Surgery on the femoral artery was required in 2 patients (1 occlusion and 1 pseudoaneurysm), 7 patients developed unstable angina without subsequent infarction, and 4 patients had ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation. Complications requiring admission were found in 39 patients. Another 59 were admitted, 51 for revascularization procedures. Of the latter 51 patients, 27 had main left coronary stenosis of 50% of greater. We have found outpatient catheterization to be a safe procedure. Complications requiring admission occurred in 3.9% of the patients. The most common reason for admission was to perform urgent bypass surgery in patients with main left coronary stenosis in excess of 50%.