COLOR DOPPLER-MONITORED COMPRESSION OF PS EUDOANEURYSMS AFTER FEMORALARTERIAL NEEDLE PUNCTURE - EARLY AND LATE RESULTS

Sixteen pseudoaneurysms occurred after 1796 femoral arterial punctures for diagnostic coronary angiography and/or angioplasty, performed bet ween 1. 1. 1993 and 25. 3. 1994. One additional patient with pseudoane urysm had undergone a femoral arterial puncture at another hospital. P rimary colour Doppler-directed compression of the pseudoaneurysm (15-m inute compression followed by 10-minute compressions, as needed) was s uccessful in 16 patients. There was one recurrence, after five days, w hich was successfully and lastingly treated by another compression. Pr imary thrombosing by compression of the pseudoaneurysm failed in only one patient, but after spontaneous thrombosis achieved by a compressio n bandage no flow was demonstrable on the following day. Clinical exam ination and/or colour Doppler sonography was performed on all patients a mean of 84 days (5 days to 6 months) after successful treatment: no recurrence was recorded. There were no significant early or late comp lications. These data indicate that colour Doppler-monitored compressi on of femoral-artery pseudoaneurysm can be considered the treatment of choice, with few exceptions, for this not rare complication of arteri al catheterization.