In the traditional approach of angiography and other procedures used to diagnose and treat heart problems, the catheter passes through the inguinal artery. Transradial angiography uses the wrist artery, the radial artery, instead.
Patients can usually get up and walk immediately after surgery, reducing the risk of complications. On the other hand, if the catheter is inserted into the inguinal artery, the patient will have to rest in bed for several hours after surgery. Transradial angiography is performed outpatiently and takes about 3 hours for hospitalization, blood test, echocardiography, and discharge.
Bleeding is the greatest risk with traditional approaches that use the femoral artery deep in the groin. Studies show that about 10% of angioplasty causes mild bleeding and 5% causes major bleeding. The arteries on the wrist are so close to the surface of the skin that bleeding can be quickly identified and controlled.
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