[Complications with femoral access in cardiac cathetization. Impact of previous systematic femoral angiography and hemostasis with VasoSeal-ES collagen plug].

INTRODUCTION AND

OBJECTIVES

Most cardiac catheterizations are performed via femoral artery access, and hemostatic devices are commonly used. We evaluate the relationship between the strategy used for femoral arteriography and the use of VasoSeal-ES, and local vascular complications.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: Prospective study of 540 consecutive catheterizations with systematic femoral artery and sheath angiography. VasoSeal-ES was used in 427 patients. Predictors of local vascular complications such as patient-related factors, anatomy and hemostasis were analyzed. Variables related to failure of the collagen plug were also studied.

RESULTS

Punctures of the common femoral artery occurred in 35.9% of all patients (16% in the deep femoral artery and its ostium). Spasm was evident in 18% (ranging from 58.1% in the deep femoral artery to 5.2% in the common femoral artery). Puncture at the site of ramification was seen in 11.3%. Angiographically significant atheroma was seen in 17.8%. The femoral head was a valid landmark for the common femoral artery in only 63.9% of the pateints. Risk factors for local vascular complications were punctures of the common femoral artery, female sex and failure of VasoSeal-ES to achieve hemostasis (15.8% in the first two months of use, 5.2% in the last months of the study). Complications involving superficial and deep femoral arteries occurred in 6.7% and 1.2% of the patients, respectively, in contrast to 0.6% involving the common femoral artery. Variables related to collagen plug failure were patient-related factors, weight less than 55 kg, operator-related factors and the learning curve.

CONCLUSIONS

Systematic femoral angiography provides data that aids the choice of the best hemostasis procedure to reduce local vascular complications. Punctures of the common femoral artery were more frequent than expected, and were associated with a higher complication rate. VasoSeal-ES is a safe and useful method of hemostasis, and its infrequent failures were associated with high complication rates that were substantially reduced with experience.