Transradial approach to angioplasty and stenting to be featured at SCAI 2010 Annual Meeting

"There's been a surge of interest in the transradial approach over the past year," according to Dr. Samir B. Pancholy, Associate Professor of Medicine, Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Commenting to Angioplasty.Org, Dr. Pancholy said he expected an overflow audience at the transradial sessions being held at this year's SCAI 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions in San Diego. Similar sessions at last fall's TCT and this year's ACC meetings resulted in a hundred or more cardiologists standing in the corridors, listening to the audio feed. What is driving this interest in the transradial approach to coronary interventions - a procedure where the radial artery in the wrist is used for catheter access instead of the femoral artery in the groin? Dr. Pancholy opined, "Perhaps it's because of our group [of radialists] and our presence, handing out brochures and having meetings. But perhaps more, it's because of the volume of data that's been accumulating about patient comfort and safety, the lower bleeding complications and the increasing concern about hemorrhagic complications of the transfemoral approach, which often cause worse outcomes than, for example, a micro-heart attack that may occur during the procedure."