INFLUENCE OF A CONVENTIONAL PRESSURE DRESSING ON ARTERIAL AND VENOUS-BLOOD FLOW AFTER CARDIAC-CATHETERIZATION

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a conventional pressure dressing on arterial and venous blood flow of the legs after cardiac catheterization. Methods: Duplexsonographic measurements were performed of both legs in 100 consecutive patients before catheteriza tion and with a pressure dressing after the procedure. The pressure dr essing was applied by means of a pressure pad on the punctured leg, so that the ankle-arm-index (blood pressure at the leg/blood pressure at the arm) was not influenced. Arterial and venous blood flow of the su perficial femoral artery and vein were registered. We evaluated both l egs by means of duplex sonography to detect arterial or venous complic ations after cardiac catheterization. Statistical evaluation was perfo rmed using the 1-sample Wilcoxon test. Results: There was a significan t reduction of venous blood flow in the punctured leg from a mean of 1 19 ml/min before puncture to 84 ml/min during pressure dressing (29 % flow reduction, p < 0.01), and a reduction of arterial blood flow from a mean of 132 ml/min before puncture to 84 ml/min during pressure dre ssing (36 % flow reduction, p < 0.01). In the contralateral leg, venou s blood flow was reduced from about 118 ml/min to 96 ml/min during pre ssure dressing (19 % flow reduction, p < 0.01), and arterial blood flo w was reduced from about 129 ml/min to 93 ml/min during pressure dress ing (28 % flow reduction, p < 0.01). There were no venous complication s, 5 patients suffered false aneurysm (5 %), and one patient had an ar teriovenous fistula (1 %). Conclusion: A conventional pressure dressin g caused a significant reduction of arterial as well as venous blood f low of both the punctured leg and the contralateral leg. This is of cl inical relevance especially in patients with known peripheral arterial disease or patients at risk for deep venous thrombosis.