868 Rev Esp Cardiol. 2005;58(7):868-71 132 INTRODUCTION Cardiac catheterization by radial artery access was described by Campeau 1 in 1989 and later used by Kiemeneij et al 2 in coronary interventional procedu- res. This technique has shown a low rate of vascular complications 3 ; it allows early ambulation, 4 is less costly, 5 and favors the patient’s well-being. 5 Cathete- rization through the radial artery has gradually incre- ased is Spain 6 and is now used routinely in some cen- ters. 7,8 The radial artery possesses anatomic and functional characteristics, such as spasm, 9,10 tortuosity, 10 and con- genital anomalies 11 that can make it difficult to access. Its small diameter and inherent vascular reactivity re- quire an attentive catheterization technique. Design improvements in the material involved have resulted in smaller diameters, which have led to a decrease in trauma to the artery. In addition, the use of a single catheter to perform several tasks permits a reduction in arterial manipulation. Due to the anatomic relationship between the bra- chiocephalic trunk and the aortic arch, the Judkins left 3.5 catheter (JL 3.5) is often used to catheterize the left coronary artery using the right radial artery appro- ach. 12 The aim of this study was to: 1) determine the percentage of cases in which selective catheterization of both coronary arteries can be performed by radial access with a JL 3.5; 2) analyze the incidence of po- B RIEF R EPORT Cardiac Catheterization Via the Right Radial Artery With a Judkins Left Catheter. A Prospective Study Juan Rondán, Íñigo Lozano, César Morís, María Martín, Pablo Avanzas, and Emma Suárez Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. Correspondence: Dr. I. Lozano. Instituto, 7, 2. o dcha. 33201 Gijón. Asturias. España. E-mail: imlml9@hotmail.com Received August 19, 2004. Accepted for publication December 9, 2004. Radial artery access improves the patient’s well-being, permits earlier ambulation and diminishes vascular com- plications after cardiac catheterization. Using the same catheter to study the left and right coronary arteries may facilitate the technique. In a cohort of 100 patients we prospectively analyzed the possibility of studying both co- ronary arteries with a Judkins left 3.5 catheter. The varia- bles studied were percentage of successful access, com- plications, and procedural time from insertion of the guiding catheter to the end of ventriculography. It was possible to catheterize both coronary arteries with the same catheter in 94 cases (94%) with a procedural time of 16.7 (6.8) min. In 6 patients a JR4 catheter was requi- red, in one of them due to severe spasm of the right coro- nary artery ostium and due to impossibility to catheterize the ostium in the other 5. There were no cases of severe radial artery spasm. Key words: Angiography. Angioplasty. Cardiac cathete- rization. Coronary angiography. Cateterismo cardíaco por vía radial derecha con catéter Judkins izquierdo. Estudio prospectivo La vía radial favorece el bienestar del paciente, la deambulación precoz y las complicaciones vasculares tras el cateterismo cardíaco. El estudio de las 2 arterias coronarias con un único catéter puede facilitar la realiza- ción de la técnica. Se analiza prospectivamente, en una cohorte de 100 pacientes, el abordaje de ambas corona- rias con un único catéter Judkins izquierdo 3,5. Las varia- bles estudiadas fueron el porcentaje de éxito, las compli- caciones y el tiempo empleado desde la inserción del introductor hasta la finalización de la ventriculografía. Se consiguió cateterizar ambas arterias con el mismo catéter en 94 casos (94%) con un tiempo de 16,7 ± 6,8 min. En 6 casos se requirió un catéter Judkins derecho 4, en uno de ellos por espasmo severo del origen de la coronaria derecha y por imposibilidad de sondar el ostium en los otros 5. No se registraron casos de espasmo severo de arteria radial. Palabras clave: Angiografía. Angioplastia. Cateterismo cardíaco. Coronariografía. Document downloaded from http://www.revespcardiol.org, day 12/04/2016. This copy is for personal use. Any transmission of this document by any media or format is strictly prohibited.