Transradial approach for percutaneous coronary stenting in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Treatment of acute myocardial infarction by percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting leads to excellent immediate clinical results and a good prognosis. The aim of this study was to compare in this selected population the safety and effectiveness of radial artery access versus femoral artery access. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Between May 2001 and June 2003, 162 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction < 12 hours treated by percutaneous stenting were included in an observational study. The radial artery approach was used in 103 patients, and the femoral artery approach in the remaining 59 patients. The success of the procedure, incidence of major adverse cardiac events and local puncture complications were compared in patients treated with the radial artery versus the femoral artery approach. RESULTS: Fluoroscopy time (22.4 [15.4] min vs 24.5 [19.5] min), immediate success of the procedure (96.1% vs 94.9%), and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (6.8% vs 8.5%) did not differ between the two groups. Bleeding complications due to local puncture were present only in the femoral artery access group (0 vs 5 patients; P= .007). CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with primary stent implantation, the success rate and clinical safety of the radial artery approach are similar to those of the femoral artery approach, but the incidence of local complications, especially bleeding, is significantly lower in the former. Thus the radial artery approach should become the approach of choice in patients at high risk for bleeding complications.