title: Early ambulation following 6 French diagnostic left heart catheterization: a prospective randomized trial.
abstract: Outpatient cardiac catheterization is frequently performed, but the optimal recovery time after sheath removal has not been defined. Left heart catheterization was performed via the femoral artery utilizing 6 French catheters on 323 outpatients. One hundred thirty-five patients were randomized to ambulate at a mean of 2.5 hr (group 1) after puncture site compression, whereas 188 patients were randomized to ambulate at a mean of 4.1 hr (group 2). Telephone follow-up occurred within 48 hr. A small hematoma (< 5 cm) occurred in 2 (1.6%) patients in group 1 and in 4 (2.4%) patients in group 2. These results indicate that it is safe to ambulate patients 2.5 hr following 6 French diagnostic heart catheterization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Botsford General Hospital, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48336, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Harber
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kovack
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Stomel
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004434:Early Ambulation; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors