COMPLICATIONS OF DIAGNOSTIC CARDIAC-CATHETERIZATION - RESULTS FROM 34041 PATIENTS IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM CONFIDENTIAL INQUIRY INTO CARDIAC CATHETER COMPLICATIONS

Objectives-To evaluate the frequency and nature of complications in pa tients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterisation and to assess the feasibility of a voluntary cooperative audit system. Methods-27 centr es enrolled patients over a two year period. Each centre voluntarily r eported numbers of patients catheterised every month. Complications we re reported as they occurred. Feedback was provided in the form of new s-letters and reports. Results-39 795 procedures were registered, of w hich 33 776 were diagnostic catheterisations in adults or adolescents, 1265 were paediatric catheter studies in patients under the age of 12 years, and 4754 were coronary angioplasties or balloon dilatation of valves. 83-3% of diagnostic catheter studies in adults were left heart studies with coronary arteriography. The overall complication rate fo r diagnostic studies was 0-80%, mortality rate 0.12%, emergency surgic al intervention rate 0.08%. Complication rates varied between centres, but there was no correlation with case load. Different patterns of co mplication were associated with different technical approaches. Conclu sions-Complication rates of diagnostic catheterisation are low but nei ther negligible nor irreducible. Voluntary audit of this kind has limi tations, but it is useful and inexpensive.