title: Low-angle vascular access for neurovascular procedures using the Arstasis AXERA access device.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Arstasis AXERA access device in patients undergoing neuroendovascular procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A single-center retrospective study of 94 patients undergoing neurovascular procedures with the use of an AXERA arterial access device was performed. The procedures were performed with 5-6-F vascular sheaths, and hemostasis was obtained with manual compression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 104 neurovascular procedures (81 diagnostic, 23 interventional) were performed in 94 subjects. Eighty-seven procedures (83%) were performed with a 5-F sheath, and 17 procedures (16%) used a 6-F sheath. Intravenous heparin was administered in 64 procedures (61%), and 32 patients (30%) were taking antiplatelet medications at the time of the procedure. Median time to hemostasis was 4 minutes with manual compression, and outpatients undergoing diagnostic angiography were permitted to ambulate at 1 hour. Complications occurred in a total of 3% of cases; these included one local hematoma (1%) and two failed procedures (2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new AXERA arterial access device modifies the arterial puncture angle in an attempt to reduce manual compression and ambulation times.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. mfortes@umm.edu
authors.forename: Manuel Correa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fortes
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jindal
authors.forename: Adam J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Polifka
authors.forename: Enslin Francois
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Aldrich
authors.forename: J Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.forename: Dheeraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gandhi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult