title: Day-case diagnostic and interventional peripheral angiography: 10-year experience in a radiology specialist nurse-led unit.
abstract: We describe a prospective evaluation of the safety of peripheral angiography procedures performed on day-case patients in a dedicated radiological nurse-led and administrated unit. Patients referred for peripheral vascular angiography, over a 10-year period, were pre-assessed by a radiology specialist nurse in a nurse-led clinic. Radiologists performed all procedures, whereas radiology specialist nurses were responsible for patient care before, during and after angiography and during the 24 h follow-up. Procedures were divided into diagnostic or interventional; complications were divided into immediate or delayed (24 h follow-up) either requiring hospital admission (major) or day-case unit management (minor). Patient acceptability was assessed using a standard questionnaire. Cost analysis was also performed. 401 day-case peripheral angiography procedures (144 diagnostic and 257 interventional) were performed in 310 patients. 109/401 (27.2%) procedures were performed on patients with diabetes mellitus. In diagnostic studies, 16/144 (11.1%) immediate and 6/144 (4.2%) delayed complications occurred whereas, in interventional studies, 65/257 (25.3%) immediate and 13/257 (5.1%) delayed complications were noted. A major complication occurred in 17/257 (6.6%) of patients in the interventional group and 3/144 (2.1%) in the diagnostic group. Puncture site haematoma was the most common complication. Nurse-led care was acceptable to the patient, with a high level of patient satisfaction seen. In conclusion, day-case diagnostic and interventional peripheral angiography procedures can be performed safely in a specialist nurse-led and administrated unit, with complication rates being within the accepted guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS, UK.
authors.forename: D Y
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: C-M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wilkins
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Edmondson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Rashid
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Deane
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Goss
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sidhu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000792:Angiography / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000191:economics / Q000451:nursing; D011446:Prospective Studies