Radiation exposure: comparison of rapid exchange and conventional over-the-wire coronary angioplasty systems.
The growth of coronary angioplasty has resulted in increased fluoroscopy time to patients, staff, and physicians. Rapid exchange-type catheters have purported to reduce fluoroscopy time and procedure time compared to conventional over-the-wire systems. Of 150 consecutive patients, 54 were treated solely with rapid-exchange catheters and 84 were treated solely with over-the-wire catheters. Excluding 12 cases treated with fixed wire or combination catheters, the following data were found: [table: see text] Overall procedural success was obtained in 98.5% (136/138) of patients, 1.5% (2) requiring emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery. A significant 35% reduction in fluoroscopy time and 13% reduction in procedure time were found when rapid-exchange catheters were used, with identical success rates, number of balloons used per case, and complication rates compared to over-the-wire catheters. Rapid-exchange catheters should be considered as part of an overall effort to reduce radiation exposure in the interventional cardiology laboratory.
Linnemeier
T J
TJ
Northside Cardiology, P.C., St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana 46260.
McCallister
S H
SH
Lips
D L
DL
Klette
M A
MA
Rothbaum
D A
DA
Ball
M W
MW
Landin
R J
RJ
Hodes
Z I
ZI
Riddell
R V
RV
D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011835:Radiation Protection; D015642:Radiology, Interventional; D013997:Time Factors