Cardiac catheterisation with 5 French catheters.
From the beginning of November 1987 to the end of January 1989, 526 coronary arteriograms and left ventricular angiograms were performed with 5 French coronary catheters. In 448 (85%) patients diagnostic pictures were obtained with three standard types of 5 French catheters (No 4 Judkins): that is, left coronary, right coronary, and pigtail catheters. In 60 patients (11.4%) various other 5 French catheters were required to complete the study. In nine patients (1.7%), a 7 or 8 French catheter was used. Major complications causing cardiac arrest or requiring urgent operation developed in five patients. Sixty two patients (11.77%) had minor complications that required sublingual nitrates or a single bolus of atropine, or developed a haematoma that did not need intervention or had a mild reaction to the contrast material. Complications of moderate severity developed in 17 patients (3.2%): severe chest pain, arrhythmia requiring a temporary pacemaker, contrast reaction associated with hypotension, haematoma requiring blood transfusion, or a transient ischaemic episode. There were no deaths. 5 French catheters were used for routine coronary angiography and left ventriculography in 98.3% of patients. There were no major complications related to femoral artery puncture. The routine use of 5 French coronary catheters should increase the feasibility of safe coronary angiography in outpatients and should reduce the cost of this investigation.
O'Sullivan
J J
JJ
Department of Cardiology, St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
McDonald
K
K
Crean
P A
PA
Walsh
M J
MJ
McCarthy
C
C
Erwin
R J
RJ
Maurer
B J
BJ
D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000209:etiology; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged