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Vascular Access Complications: Diagnosis and Management

  • Vascular Disease (H Gornik and E Kim, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

The incidence of vascular access site related complications ranges between 0.8 % to 1.8 % of diagnostic cardiac catheterization and up to 9 % of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) [1]. The femoral vessels at the groin are used as the access site for the majority of percutaneous coronary, peripheral arterial and venous, and electrophysiologic interventions. With emergence of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR), thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR), and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), larger access sheaths (up to 18Fr–24Fr) are required, which further increases the potential for access site complications. The true incidence of access site complications arising from non-coronary interventions is unknown; hence it is likely that the total incidence of vascular access site complications is greatly underestimated. Vascular closure devices (VCDs), radial artery access, fluoroscopic guidance, and ultrasound guidance have all been used with a hope to minimize these complications. Despite these attempts, vascular access complications have not been eliminated. Cardiovascular specialists must promptly identify these complications and manage them appropriately.

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Disclosure

Dr. Raghu Kolluri is on the Medical Advisory Board of Bard Inc. Dr. Kolluri received consultancy and payment for the development of educational presentations including service on speakers’ bureaus from Covidien Vascular Therapies and Cook Medical. Dr. Brian Fowler received consultancy from Covidien Vascular Therapies. Dr. Shailesh Nandish reported no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Prairie Cardiovascular & Prairie Heart Institute, 319 East Mason St, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA

    Raghu Kolluri MD, Brian Fowler BS & Shailesh Nandish MD

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  1. Raghu Kolluri MD
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  2. Brian Fowler BS
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  3. Shailesh Nandish MD
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Correspondence to Raghu Kolluri MD.

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Kolluri, R., Fowler, B. & Nandish, S. Vascular Access Complications: Diagnosis and Management. Curr Treat Options Cardio Med 15, 173–187 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11936-013-0227-8

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