FEMORAL-ARTERY HEMOSTASIS WITH A PNEUMATIC COMPRESSION DEVICE VERSUS A CLAMP AFTER CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new pneumatic compression dev ice for achieving haemostasis after femoral artery catheterization, 1, 017 patients undergoing selective coronary angiography by a SF unilate ral femoral route were prospectively randomised to pneumatic or the ro utinely used clamp compression technique. All initial bleedings could be controlled in the pneumatic group, whereas in 38 patients (8%) of t he clamp group the initial positioning of the clamp was unsuccessful o r was not tolerated by the patient (p < 0.05). Ultrasound Doppler stud y of the puncture site because of suspected postcatheterization vascul ar complication revealed two haematomas which needed no further measur e and two pseudoaneurysms which were successfully treated with ultraso und-guided compression or surgical repair. The rate of complications r equiring treatment (pseudoaneurysms) was 0.2% overall, 0.5% in the cla mp group and nil in the pneumatic compression group (NS). We conclude that the pneumatic compression device is effective, convenient and at least as safe as the clamp and, by shortening the time in the catheter ization laboratory, offers time for further angiograms.