Distal Radial Artery Access for Noncoronary Endovascular Treatment Is a Safe and Feasible Technique

Purpose: To evaluate safety and feasibility of distal radial artery (DRA) access for noncoronary interventional radiology procedures.

Materials and methods: All interventional radiology procedures by means of DRA puncture from July 2017 to August 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Eighty-two punctures in 56 patients were included, mostly in male patients (84% vs 16%). Mean age was 67.8 years (range, 33.3-87.3 years); mean height was 172 cm (range, 142-190 cm); and mean weight was 83 kg (range, 43-120 kg). Procedural characteristics, technical success, and complication rates were gathered from the medical records and follow-up ultrasound when available. Prerequisites for DRA access were adequate radioulnar collateral circulation, sufficient radial artery diameter, and informed consent in patients initially intended for conventional transradial access.

Results: Procedures included transarterial chemoembolization (n = 34), yittrium-90 pretreatment angiography (n = 21), yittrium-90 administration (transarterial radioembolization; n = 20), and embolization of visceral organs (n = 7). Both 4-Fr (n = 35) and 5-Fr (n = 46) sheaths were used. Technical success of DRA access was 97.6%, with conversion to transfemoral access in 2 cases (2.4%). No major complications were reported as a result of DRA access.

Conclusion: DRA access is a feasible and safe technique for abdominal interventional radiology embolization procedures. No radial artery occlusion or other major complications were observed in patients who underwent follow-up ultrasound.