AMBULATION 3 HOURS AFTER ELECTIVE CARDIAC-CATHETERIZATION THROUGH THEFEMORAL-ARTERY

Objective-To test whether very early resumption of ambulation after fe moral cardiac catheterisation is feasible and safe in patients with st able symptoms. Design-Prospective study in a selected group of men and women undergoing elective cardiac catheterisation, with next day phys ical inspection. Setting-Inpatient study. Subjects-Two hundred consecu tive ambulant patients submitted to diagnostic cardiac catheterisation through the femoral arterial route using 5F catheters: a femoral righ t heart study was done at the same time in 40 patients (20%). Results- No patient had major complications during the study. Early ambulation was not allowed in two patients (1%) because of haematoma formation im mediately after sheath removal, and in seven (3%) because of poor haem ostasis or haematoma on inspection at 3 h. Early ambulation was interr upted in two patients (1%) because of transient arterial hypotension o n standing in one, and the patient's preference in the other. Of 189 p atients who resumed full ambulation at 3 h, one (0.5%) had a groin hae matoma on discharge the next morning. Overall, haematoma 12 h after ca rdiac catheterisation was present in seven of the 200 patients initial ly included in the study (3 5%). None of the 191 patients with attempt ed early mobilisation had signs or symptoms of vascular complications one month or later after discharge. Conclusion-Supervised resumption o f ambulation 3 h after uncomplicated cardiac studies with catheters is safe ambulant patients undergoing elective cardiac catheterisation.