Background: Radial artery occlusion (RAO) may occur posttransradial intervention and limits the radial artery as a future access site, thus precluding its use as an arterial conduit. In this study, we investigate the incidence and factors influencing the RAO in the current literature.
Methods and results: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies of RAO in transradial access. Relevant studies were identified and data were extracted. Data were synthesized by meta-analysis, quantitative pooling, graphical representation, or by narrative synthesis. A total of 66 studies with 31 345 participants were included in the analysis. Incident RAO ranged between <1% and 33% and varied with timing of assessment of radial artery patency (incidence of RAO within 24 hours was 7.7%, which decreased to 5.5% at >1 week follow-up). The most efficacious measure in reducing RAO was higher dose of heparin, because lower doses of heparin were associated with increased RAO (risk ratio 0.36, 95% CI 0.17-0.76), whereas shorter compression times also reduced RAO (risk ratio 0.28, 95% CI 0.05-1.50). Several factors were found to be associated with RAO including age, sex, sheath size, and diameter of radial artery, but these factors were not consistent across all studies.
Conclusions: RAO is a common complication of transradial access. Maintenance of radial patency should be an integral part of all procedures undertaken through the radial approach. High-dose heparin along with shorter compression times and patent hemostasis is recommended in reducing RAO.
Keywords: radial artery occlusion; transradial catheterization or access; vascular complications.
© 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.