title: Primary stenting for acute myocardial infarction via the transradial approach: a safe and useful alternative to the transfemoral approach.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary stenting in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been demonstrated to reduce recurrent ischemic events. However, transradial stenting in AMI has not been well established. Therefore, we sought to investigate the feasibility and utility of transradial coronary stenting in patients with AMI.
  
  
  METHODS
  From April 1998 to April 1999, 56 patients (43 male; mean age of 57 years) who arrived within 6 hours of pain onset with culprit vessel size > 2.5 mm constituted this study. The transradial approach (Group 1) was used in 30 patients with hemodynamically stable and palpable right radial pulse. The transfemoral approach (Group 2) was used for vascular access in the remainder of patients (26) who might have required a second vascular access site for intraaortic balloon pumping (in cardiogenic shock) and/or a transvenous temporary pacemaker.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall success rate was achieved in 54 of 56 patients (96%). The success rate was 90% (27/30) in Group 1 and 96% (25/26) in Group 2. The cannulation time (from patient arrival at the catheterization room to the time of arterial cannulation) and the total procedure time (from patient arrival at the catheterization room to the completion of the procedure) were not significantly different between Group 1 and Group 2 (9.2+/-5.3 versus 8.9+/-5. 8 minutes, p>0.05; 53.7+/-19.4 versus 57.5 +/-26.8 minutes, p>0.05, respectively). In the Group 1 patients, there was no forearm ischemia or loss of radial pulse during the 30-day follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary coronary stenting for acute myocardial infarction via the transradial approach is a safe and feasible alternative to the conventional transfemoral approach, and is especially useful for hemodynamically stable patients who do not require a second vascular access site.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiology, Dong-A Medical College, 3Eth 1 Dongdaeshin-Dong, Seo-Gu, Pusan, South Korea, 602Eth 103. kmh60@damc. dauhosp.or.kr
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000379:methods*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection; D017534:Radial Artery; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome