Data were collected prospectively on 7553 consecutive patients undergoing coronary arteriography. The studies were performed at 13 clinics of the Collaborative Study of Coronary Artery Surgery (CASS) using brachial and femoral techniques. There were eight deaths 0--24 hours and seven deaths 24--48 hours after arteriography (2/1000). There were 15 non-fatal myocardial infarctions (MIs) 0--24 hours and four MIs 24--48 hours after arteriography (2.5/1000). Of 657 cases with left main stenosis greater than or equal to 50%, five died and three had MI. Left main disease increased risk of death by 6.8 times (p less than 0.001). Other factors increasing risk were unstable angina, congestive heart failure, multiple premature ventricular contractions, and hypertension. Of the 1187 patients studied from the brachial artery, six died (0.51%) and five had MIs (0.42%). In 6328 patients studied from the femoral artery, nine died (0.14%) and 14 had MIs (0.22%). The brachial artery technique increased the risk of death 3.6 times compared with the femoral approach (p less than 0.05). This result did not apply when analysis was restricted to laboratories with 80% or more brachial procedures. Risk was not altered by heparin. Thus, a prospective, multicenter analysis of complications reveals low risk of coronary arteriography but significant difference between two techniques.

Complications of coronary arteriography from the Collaborative Study of Coronary Artery Surgery (CASS).

Antithrombotic Therapy in Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease

Distressing rates of embolic complications from coronary arteriography performed by the percutaneous femoral approach have been reported since 1972. From 1970-1974, 5250 patients underwent coronary arteriography in our laboratory by the same percutaneous femoral technique with preformed polyethylene catheters and no systemic heparinization. Data were recorded during and for 24 hours postcatheterization. The annual mortality rate averaged 0.23% and remained relatively stable. Our incidence of embolic complications was very low. In patients with normal coronary arteries, no fatal or serious nonfatal complications occurred. Left main coronary artery disease was present in all cases of mortality and greater than or equal to 60% stenosis was shown in nine of 12 instances. Thus major risk was proportional to the severity of disease in the left coronary system. The use of more aggressive supportive measures in these high-risk cases appears essential to reduce the total complication rate from coronary arteriography significantly.

Complication rate of coronary arteriography. A review of 5250 cases studied by a percutaneous femoral technique.

• Of 7333 patients undergoing percutaneous left-heart catheterization procedures during a seven-year seven-month period, 73 patients (1%) underwent 75 operative repairs of catheterization-related vascular complications. The overall incidence of operative repair varied according to the type of percutaneous femoral artery procedure performed: 0.6% for diagnostic heart catheterization, 0.9% for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, 5.2% for transfemoral balloon valvuloplasty, and 11.5% for intra-aortic balloon pump placement. This suggests that (1) femoral and iliac artery occlusions can and should be repaired promptly while the patient is under local anesthesia; (2) false aneurysms in this clinical setting can be approached directly through the aneurysm cavity; (3) the diagnosis of false aneurysm or arteriovenous fistula can usually be made on clinical grounds alone, without resorting to angiography; (4) venous or arterial patch angioplasty is the preferred technique for small or severely traumatized femoral arteries; and (5) the necessity for operative repair of these lesions will continue to increase in frequency as percutaneous cardiologic diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are used more widely. (Arch Surg1988;123:1207-1212)

Vascular Complications of Percutaneous Femoral Cardiac Interventions: Incidence and Operative Repair

Protamine is widely used for reversing systemic heparinization after cardiac catheterization. Although rare, major reactions to protamine that simulate anaphylaxis occasionally occur and have previously been associated only with an allergic reaction to fish. Because neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin includes protamine, it might be anticipated that NPH insulin-dependent diabetic patients would develop sensitivity to protamine. Of 866 consecutive patients undergoing cardiac catheterization over a 20 month period, 651 received protamine for reversal of heparinization. Of these, 8.5% (56/651) were diabetics and 2.3% (15/651) were NPH insulin-dependent diabetics. During this period seven patients were observed immediately after administration of protamine to have major adverse reactions that required the administration of catecholamines. One death ensued. Of the seven major reactions, four occurred in NPH insulin-dependent diabetics and one occurred in a patient with an allergy to fish. The incidence of major protamine reactions was 27% (4/15) in the NPH insulin-dependent diabetics vs 0.5% (3/636) in those with no history of NPH insulin use (p less than .001). This represents a 50-fold increased risk of a major reaction to protamine if the patient was receiving NPH insulin. Accordingly, we recommend that diabetics on NPH insulin and patients with allergies to fish undergo cardiac catheterization without the use of protamine or, when necessary, that protamine be administered cautiously in anticipation of a major adverse reaction.

Increased risk of severe protamine reactions in NPH insulin-dependent diabetics undergoing cardiac catheterization.

THROMBOEMBOLIC complications during percutaneous coronary arteriography have frequently been described.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Three university hospitals reported higher morbidity and mortality during coronary arteriography performed by the Judkins percutaneous femoral than with the Sones right brachial arteriotomy technic.3 The two methods employ different types of catheters, with guide wires used only in the Judkins procedure. At the beginning of the Sones procedure approximately 5000 U of "local" heparin are usually injected into the artery to prevent local thrombosis. Heparin injection is not routine during the Judkins procedure. During both methods the catheter is flushed frequently with dilute heparin solution. It is now evident . . .

Judson M. Ravi

Papers

Systemic heparinization for femoral percutaneous coronary arteriography.

Systemic heparinization for femoral percutaneous coronary arteriography