Safety of outpatient peripheral angioplasty.
OBJECTIVE
The safety of performing peripheral percutaneous angioplasty on an outpatient basis was studied.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all peripheral angioplastic procedures performed at one institution during a 4-year period. The 350 procedures in 235 patients included 84 inpatient cases, 141 outpatient cases, and 125 1-day-care cases (ie, procedures performed in patients transferred from other hospitals).


RESULTS
The rates of major complications were 8.3% +/- 3.0 (mean +/- standard error) (n = 7) for inpatients. 5.0% +/- 1.8 (n = 7) for outpatients, and 5.6% +/- 2.1 (n = 7) for 1-day-care patients. Furthermore, 95% confidence intervals for the difference between complication rates were -10.3% and 3.5% for outpatient versus inpatient cases and -9.9% and 4.4% for 1-day-care versus inpatient cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of a major complication resulting from peripheral angioplasty in appropriately selected outpatients is no greater than it is for patients admitted for overnight observation.
Struk
D W
DW
Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Rankin
R N
RN
Eliasziw
M
M
Vellet
A D
AD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012449:Safety