Routine Use of Ultrasound Guidance in Femoral Arterial Access for Peripheral Vascular Intervention Decreases Groin Hematoma Rates in High-Volume Surgeons

The radiographic relationship of the femoral head, inguinal ligament, and common femoral artery bifurcation for optimal vascular access

Objective

Common femoral artery (CFA) access is commonly used for endovascular interventions. Access site complications contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. This study characterizes the radiographic variability in the relationship of the femoral head, the inguinal ligament, and the CFA bifurcation, to identify the zone of optimal CFA access.

Methods

Human cadaver dissection of the inguinal ligament and CFA bifurcation was performed. The inguinal ligament and CFA bifurcation were marked with radiopaque pins and plain anteroposterior radiographs were obtained. Radiographic measurements of the femoral head length, the distance of the top of the femoral head to the inguinal ligament, and to the CFA bifurcation were obtained. Results were reported as percentage of femoral head covered by the inguinal ligament or the CFA bifurcation relative to the top of the femoral head. A heatmap was derived to determine a safe access zone between the inguinal ligament and CFA bifurcation.

Results

Forty-five groin dissections (male, n = 20; female, n = 25) were performed in 26 cadavers. The mean overlap of the inguinal ligament with the femoral head was 11.2 mm (range, -19.4 to 27.4 mm). There were no age (<85 vs ≥85 years) or sex-related differences. In 82.6% of cadaveric CFA exposures, there was overlap between the inguinal ligament and femoral head (mean, 27.7%; range, -85.7% to 70.1%), with 55.6% having a >25% overlap. In 11.1%, there was an overlap between the lower one-third of the femoral head and the CFA bifurcation. Cumulatively, heatmap analysis depicted a >80% likelihood of avoiding the inguinal ligament and CFA bifurcation below the midpoint of the femoral head.

Conclusions

Significant variability exists in the relationship between the inguinal ligament, CFA bifurcation, and the femoral head, suggesting the lack of a consistently safe access zone. The safest access zone in >80% of patients lies below the radiographic midpoint of the femoral head and the inferior aspect of the femoral head.

Access Site Complications Are Uncommon with Vascular Closure Devices or Manual Compression after Lower Extremity Revascularization

OBJECTIVE

Vascular closure devices (VCD) and manual compression (MC) are used to achieve hemostasis following peripheral vascular interventions (PVI). We sought to compare perioperative outcomes between MC and four VCDs following PVI in a multicenter setting.

METHODS

The Vascular Quality Initiative was queried for all lower extremity (LE) PVIs with common femoral artery access performed from 2010-2020. VCDs included were MynxGrip® (Cordis, Santa Clara, CA, USA), StarClose SE™ (Abbott, Redwood City, CA, USA), Angio-Seal® (Terumo, Somerset, NJ, USA), and Perclose ProGlide™ (Abbott, Redwood City, CA, USA). In a blinded fashion, these four VCDs (A, B, C, D) were compared to MC for baseline characteristics, procedural details, and outcomes (access site hematoma and stenosis/occlusion). Sheath size >8 Fr were excluded. Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed. Univariable and multivariable analyses were completed for unmatched and matched data.

RESULTS

There were 84,172 LE PVIs identified: 32,013 (38%) used MC and 52,159 (62%) used VCDs (A-12,675;B-6,224;C-19,872;D-13,388). Overall, average age was 68.7 years and 60.4% were male; indications for intervention were most commonly claudication (43.8%) and tissue loss (40.1%). When compared to MC, VCDs were utilized more often in patients with obesity, diabetes, and end stage renal disease (all P<.001). VCDs were used less often in patients with hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, prior percutaneous coronary and extremity interventions, and major amputation (all P<.001). VCD use was more common, compared to MC, during femoral-popliteal (73% vs. 63.8%) and tibial interventions (33.8% vs. 22.3%), but less common with iliac interventions (20.6% vs. 34.7%) (all P<.001). Protamine was used less often after VCDs (19.1% vs. 25.6%, P<.001). Overall, there were 2,003 (2.4%) hematomas of which 278 (13.9%) required thrombin/surgical intervention. When compared to MC, any VCD use had fewer hematomas (1.7% vs. 3.6%, P<.001) and hematomas requiring intervention (.2% vs. .5%, P<.001). When divided by hemostatic technique, any hematoma were MC-3.6%; A-1.4%; B-1.2%; C-2.3%; D-1.1%, P<.001. Hematomas requiring intervention were MC-.5%; A-.2%; B-.2%; C-.3%; D-.1%, P<.001. Access site stenosis/occlusion was similar between MC and any VCDs (.2% vs. .2%, P=.12). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that any VCDs and individual VCDs, vs. MC, were independently associated with fewer hematomas. Access site stenosis/occlusion was similar between any VCDs and MC. Matched analysis revealed similar findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Although overall rates of hematomas requiring intervention were low regardless of hemostatic technique, VCD use, irrespective of type, compared favorably to MC with significantly fewer access site complications after PVI.

Percutaneous Radial Artery Access for Peripheral Vascular Interventions Is a Safe Alternative for Upper Extremity Access

OBJECTIVE

Percutaneous radial artery access is increasingly being used for peripheral vascular interventions (PVI). Our goal was to characterize practice patterns and perioperative outcomes among patients treated using PVI performed via radial artery access.

METHODS

The Vascular Quality Initiative was queried from 2016-2020 for PVI performed via upper extremity access. Univariable and multivariable analyses evaluated peri-procedure outcomes of radial artery access cases. A separate sample of brachial artery access cases was used as a comparator.

RESULTS

There were 520 radial artery access cases identified. Mean age was 69 ± 10 years and 41.3% were female sex. The majority were performed in the hospital outpatient setting (71.7%). Sheath sizes were ≤ 5 Fr (10%), 6 Fr (78%), and 7 Fr (12%). Ultrasound-guided access and protamine were used in 68.3% and 17.3% of cases, respectively. Interventions were aortoiliac (55%), femoropopliteal (55%), and infrapopliteal (9%). Stenting and atherectomy were performed in 55% and 19% of cases, respectively, and more often with 7 Fr sheaths. Access site complications were any hematoma (4.8%), including hematomas resulting in intervention (0.8%), pseudoaneurysms (1%), and access stenosis/occlusion (0.8%). On multivariable analysis, sheath size was not associated with access site complications. Percutaneous brachial artery access (n=1135) compared to radial access was independently associated with more overall hematomas (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.06-2.81, P=.03), but access type was not associated with hematomas resulting in intervention (OR 2.15, 95% CI .69-6.72, P=.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Peripheral vascular interventions via radial artery access exhibit a low prevalence of post-procedural access site complications and are associated with fewer minor hematoma complications than interventions performed using brachial artery access. Radial artery access compared with brachial artery access is the preferred technique for peripheral vascular interventions.

Complication rates of percutaneous brachial artery puncture: effect of live ultrasound guidance

Purpose

The current literature on the use of brachial artery access is controversial. Some studies found increased puncture site complications. Others found no higher complication rates than in patients with femoral or radial access. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of ultrasound (US)-guidance on access site complications.

Materials and methods

This is a single-center retrospective study of all consecutive patients with brachial arterial access for interventional procedures. Complications were classified into minor complications (conservative treatment only) and major complications (requiring surgical intervention). The brachial artery was cannulated in the antecubital fossa under US-guidance. After the intervention, manual compression or closure devices, both followed by a compression bandage for 3 h, either achieved hemostasis.

Results

Seventy-five procedures in seventy-one patients were performed in the study period using brachial access. Access was successful in all cases (100%). Procedures in different vascular territories were performed: neurovascular (10/13.5%), upper extremity (32/43.2%), visceral (20/27.0%), and lower extremity (12/16.3%). Sheath size ranged from 3.2F to 8F (mean: 5F). Closure devices were used in 17 cases (22.7%). In total, six complications were observed (8.0%), four minor complications (5.3%, mostly puncture site hematomas), and two major complications, that needed surgical treatment (2.7%). No brachial artery thrombosis or upper extremity ischemia occurred.

Conclusion

Exclusive use of US-guidance resulted in a low risk of brachial artery access site complications in our study compared to the literature. US-guidance has been proven to reduce the risk of access site complications in several studies in femoral access. In addition, brachial artery access yields a high technical success rate and requires no additional injection of spasmolytic medication. Sheath size was the single significant predictor for complications.

Closure device use for common femoral artery antegrade access is higher risk than retrograde access

OBJECTIVE

Although the use of closure devices (CD) for femoral artery antegrade access (AA) is not in the instructions for use (IFU) for many devices, AA has been reported to be associated with a lower incidence of access site complications compared to manual compression alone. We hypothesized that CD use for AA would not be associated with a clinically significant increased odds of access site complications compared to CD use for retrograde access (RA).

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of the Vascular Quality Initiative from 2010 to 2019 for infrainguinal peripheral vascular interventions with common femoral artery access closed with a CD. Patients who had a cutdown or multiple access sites were excluded. Cases were then stratified into whether access was antegrade or retrograde. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regressions controlling for hospital level variation were used to examine the independent association between AA and access site complications. The primary outcomes were access site hematoma, stenosis, or occlusion as defined in the VQI. The secondary outcome was the development of an access site hematoma requiring an intervention, which was defined as transfusion, thrombin injection, or surgery. Sensitivity analyses after coarsened exact matching were performed to reduce residual bias.

RESULTS

Overall, 72,463 cases were identified and 6,070 (8.4%) had AA. Patients with AA were less likely to be smokers (27.2% vs 33.0%) or obese (31.5% vs 35.6%; all P<0.05). Patients with AA were more likely to be on dialysis (12.8% vs 10.1%) and have ultrasound-guided access (76.4% vs 66.2%; P<0.05 for all). Compared to RA, patients with AA were more likely to develop any access site hematoma (2.5% vs 1.8%; P<0.01) and a hematoma requiring intervention (0.7% vs 0.5%; P=0.03), but had no difference in access site stenosis or occlusion (0.3% vs 0.2%; P=0.21). On multivariable analyses, AA had increased odds of developing any access site hematoma (OR=1.46; 95% CI=1.22-1.76) and a hematoma requiring intervention (OR=1.48; 95% CI=1.10-1.98). Sensitivity analyses after coarsened exact matching confirmed these findings.

CONCLUSION

In this nationally representative sample, the use of CDs for femoral access was associated with an overall low rate of access site complications. However, there was an increased odds of access site hematomas with AA. Patient selection for AA remains important and ultrasound guided access should be the standard of care for this approach.

Utilization and Outcomes of Radial Artery Access for Lower Extremity Endovascular Intervention

INTRODUCTION

Radial artery access has become popular for cardiac interventions, but its role in lower extremity interventions is not well defined. We aimed to describe current utilization and outcomes of transradial access for lower extremity interventions.

METHODS

Peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) from 2016-2020 where transradial access was employed in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) registry were studied. Cases before 2016 were excluded as documentation of transradial access was not possible in earlier years. PVIs involving radial artery access were evaluated with regard to access guidance, access-site complications, target vessels treated and the technical success of these interventions.

RESULTS

Of 167,098 PVIs, 1,096 (0.66%) involved radial access. Utilization varied significantly by region (P < 0.01). The left radial artery was used in 66.9% of cases. Ultrasound-guided access was documented in 72.7% of cases. There were no significant differences in age, body mass index, or sex between the transradial group and other PVIs. In 450 procedures, a second access site was utilized, most commonly a retrograde femoral access (60.0%) or retrograde pedal access (16.7%). The largest sheath was 6-Fr in 78.0%. Interventions documenting radial-only access more commonly treated the aortoiliac segment (49.4% vs. 29.5%, P < 0.001) and less commonly treated the tibial segments (7.1% vs. 32.1%, P < 0.001). Technical success was 94.0%, with inability to cross the lesion (3.1%) and residual stenosis after treatment (2.2%) being most common. There were access-site complications in 2.9%, with hematoma (2.4%) being most common.

DISCUSSION

Radial access is associated with high technical success rates and low access-site complication rates. Advances in device profile and shaft length may overcome shortcomings of transradial access and lead to further utilization of this access site.

The Learning Curves for Transradial and Ultrasound-Guided Arterial Access: An Analysis of the SURF Trial

INTRODUCTION

Historically, coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention involved accessing the femoral artery via palpation. However, recently there has been a trend towards using a transradial approach and ultrasound guidance for arterial access. Studies have shown that these techniques respectively improve major bleeding rates and access outcomes. There have been no studies conducted that assess the time it takes to train operators to attain proficiency. This sub-analysis of the Standard versus Ultrasound-guided Radial and Femoral access in coronary angiography and intervention (SURF) trial aims to assess the number of procedures required to attain proficiency in ultrasound-guided transradial and transfemoral access.

METHODS

The SURF trial randomised 1,388 patients undergoing coronary angiography and/or percutaneous coronary intervention into standard or ultrasound-guidance and radial or femoral access in a 2×2 factorial design. Operators who participated in this trial were required to have performed at least 50 standard and 10 ultrasound-guided punctures for each of transradial and transfemoral access. Cases were then chronologically ordered and stratified into groups of five, from which the primary endpoint measured was a progression in mean access time and first-pass success rates.

RESULTS

Across all operators, there was a reduction in mean access time between procedures one to five and six to 10 with ultrasound-guided femoral punctures (60.5 secs-51.5 secs, p=0.029) and between procedures 11 to 15 and 16 to 20 ultrasound-guided radial punctures (74s to 62.5 secs, p=0.082). This trend was more obvious in trainees, with significant reductions in mean access time between procedures one to five and six to 10 from 73.5 to 53.5 seconds (p<0.001) for ultrasound-guided femoral access and from 99.5 seconds to 60 seconds (p=0.024) for ultrasound-guided radial access. There were no trends with standard transradial access.

CONCLUSION

The numbers required to attain competency in ultrasound-guided femoral and radial access are 15 and 25 punctures, respectively. Fifty (50) punctures appear adequate for proficiency in a standard transradial approach. These numbers are useful in incorporating into training program for advanced trainees and interventionalists.

Regional Variation in Usage of Ultrasound-Guided Femoral Access in the Vascular Quality Initiative

BACKGROUND

Access site complications are among the most common complications following peripheral vascular interventions. Previous studies have demonstrated a reduced rate of complications with ultrasound-guided vascular access (UGVA). The objective of this study is to evaluate the regional use of UGVA within the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI).

METHODS

The VQI peripheral intervention module between 2010 and 2018 was evaluated. Regional ID was used to compare distribution of ultrasound usage. Regions were grouped into terciles based on the rate of ultrasound use. Patients were categorized based on type of access. Primary outcome was use of ultrasound across regions. Secondary outcomes were access site complications.

RESULTS

Over 43,000 cases across the 18 VQI regions were evaluated. The average rate of ultrasound usage was 71% across the regions with a wide variation (range 38-97%). There is a significant difference in utilization among the top third (87%), middle third (79%), and bottom third (58%) (P < 0.001). Average sheath size was similar across all 3 groups. A higher use of ultrasound-guided access was associated with significantly fewer access site complications (top third 1.96% vs. bottom third 3.04%, P < 0.001), the most significant of which was a decreased rate of access site hematoma (top third 1.37% vs. bottom third 2.35%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to evaluate ultrasound-guided access across VQI regions. Our results demonstrate that despite strong evidence supporting the utilization of UGVA, there remains a wide variation in ultrasound usage across VQI regions. This is also the first study to show that the prevalence of ultrasound use in peripheral vascular interventions (PVI) is inversely related to access site complications. Given all of the data supporting the usage of UGVA across numerous specialties, our findings encourage the consideration of an ultrasound-first approach for vascular access in PVI and the implementation of targeted strategies and evidence-based guidelines to enhance UGVA utilization in PVI.

Ultrasonography-guided antegrade common femoral artery approach: Factors associated with access time

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of ultrasonography-guided antegrade common femoral artery puncture and subsequent superficial femoral artery access without the aid of fluoroscopy. Factors that could affect access time were also assessed.

METHODS

A total of 294 cases from 218 consecutive patients (163 men, 55 women; mean age: 66.9 ± 12.7 years) who underwent lower extremity endovascular procedures were retrospectively evaluated. The time between the injection of local anesthetic and the insertion of the microsheath into the superficial femoral artery was measured. The common femoral artery diameter, cutis thickness, distance between arterial puncture site and common femoral artery bifurcation, degree of common femoral artery calcification, body mass index, and history of previous access were investigated to assess their relationship with access time. Furthermore, all cases were assessed with ultrasonography for access-site complications before discharge.

RESULTS

Technical success was achieved in 293 of 294 procedures (99.7%). The mean time for superficial femoral artery access was 1.9 ± 0.8 min (range, 0.7-3.7 min). Additional fluoroscopic guidance was needed in one case. There were moderately positive correlations of body mass index (r = 0.75; p < 0.001) and cutis thickness (r = 0.58; p < 0.001) with access time. The other variables failed to reveal significant correlations with access time. Five groin hematomas occurred after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Complications such as pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, or retroperitoneal hematoma were not observed.

CONCLUSION

Antegrade common femoral artery puncture with subsequent superficial femoral artery access conducted solely under ultrasonography guidance was feasible and safe. In addition, the antegrade access time showed positive correlations with body mass index and cutis thickness.

Radial Access for Peripheral Interventions

Peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) improves quality of life and reduces major adverse limb events in patients with peripheral arterial disease. PVI is commonly performed via the femoral artery, and the most common adverse periprocedural event is a vascular access complication. Transradial access for PVI has the potential to reduce vascular access complications and improve patient outcomes. Further study is needed to elucidate the risks of stroke, acute kidney injury, and radiation exposure in the setting of transradial PVI. As transradial access for PVI progresses, it will be important to build the evidence base along with procedural experience.