Cardiovascular revascularization medicine : including molecular interventions
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Cardiovasc Revasc Med · May 2012
Case ReportsSuccessful removal of an entrapped and kinked catheter during right transradial cardiac catheterization by snaring and unwinding the catheter via femoral access.
Since its introduction by Campeau in 1989, the transradial approach for coronary angiography has gained significant popularity among interventional cardiologists due to its lower access site complication rates, cost-effectiveness, and shorter hospital course. Although the transradial approach is much safer than the transfemoral approach, it has its own inherent rare complications including radial artery occlusion, thrombosis, nonocclusive radial artery injury, vasospasm, and compartment syndrome. ⋯ The distal and proximal tips were then simultaneously rotated in opposite directions, allowing for the unkinking and removal of the catheter. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this rare complication.