Repeated radial artery puncture for cardiac catheterization

: Repeated radial artery puncture for cardiac catheterization. The radial artery approach for percutaneous cardiac interventions has gained worldwide acceptance due to the similar results obtained by the femoral artery access. In this paper, we report our experience with repeated puncture of the radial artery. One hundred and eighty two radial artery access procedures were performed, in 17 interventions the puncture was repeated once or twice, with a total of 20 therapeutic catheterizations (9 coronary angiographies, 11 angioplasties). There was no therapeutic failure through the radial approach but, we successfully gained access in 88.2% (15/17) of the re-interventions cases. Although an experience with a low number of cases, we had a very high successful therapeutic rate, and also a remarkable lowering of local complications, this shows the feasibility and potential of this technique.