During the 1950s, cardiac care was revolutionized through a new technique used to detect blockages in the heart. Catheterization, a procedure in which a physician threads a tiny line through a patient’s artery to the heart, was born out of a need to reach the heart to clear blockages, deliver life-saving medication and position stents. Using a catheter afforded doctors the option of taking a minimally invasive approach when treating their patients.
Since then, physicians have performed millions of cardiac catheterization procedures. For the majority of those procedures, physicians make their way to the heart through the femoral artery in the groin. However, a growing number of physicians are switching to a new access point. The radial artery, which is located in the wrist, offers patients procedures that often result in less pain, less bleeding and a shorter recovery time.
Though the procedure is often a better option for patients, there are challenges associated with the radial approach. The size of the artery at the wrist is only about half the size of the femoral artery at the groin, the traditional access point. Accessing the heart through the radial artery is also more challenging for physicians to learn, so fewer cardiologists have been trained in the technique.
Dr. Charles Mayes and Dr. Mark Campbell, of Hattiesburg Heart and Vascular are both fellowship trained in using the radial access point for heart catheterizations and are offering the option to their patients in the Hattiesburg area.
“The procedure is technically more difficult than going through the femoral artery, but it is often a better option for the patient,” says Mayes. “Dr. Campbell and I knew when we came to Hattiesburg last year that we wanted to implement this program for our patients here.”
Physicians utilize heart catheterization for a variety of reasons. For instance, balloon angioplasty is a common procedure in which a catheter is inserted through an artery and maneuvered through the circulatory system to the heart to reach a blockage. Once there, a balloon on the end of the catheter is inflated to clear the blockage in order to increase circulation.
One reason that the groin access point is used more often than the wrist is that the instruments used for many interventional cardiology procedures simply fit better through the larger route provided by the femoral artery. Through better design, smaller and easier to maneuver instruments are now available for most procedures. Balloons, stents and catheters can all now be accommodated by the radial artery, but experience is key for physicians navigating the circulatory system through the wrist.
“Major studies have shown that the radial artery approach is as successful as using the femoral artery entry point, but with lower rates of bleeding and other complications,” says Mayes. “Our patients deserve the least painful and most effective procedure we can give them. Ten years of experience with radial catheterization has shown me and Dr. Campbell that this is the right way to go for many patients and we’re glad to have partnered with Wesley Medical Center to offer this option in the Pine Belt.”
Despite the larger size of the femoral artery, accessing the heart via that route comes with unique complications. In particular, bleeding risk is a concern. To stop bleeding after a catheter procedure through the femoral artery, very heavy pressure must be applied at the insertion site. Additionally, patients must lie still on their backs for hours. This can be difficult and painful for some patients, particularly the elderly or those with hip or back pain.
The radial artery in the wrist, by comparison, requires only a band similar to a wristwatch to be placed around the wrist. This provides enough pressure to prevent bleeding at the insertion site. Patients are able to sit, or even get up and walk.
Hattiesburg Heart and Vascular, a division of Wesley Medical Group, is committed to providing superior cardiac care to the Pine Belt. Wesley Medical Center, the only accredited Chest Pain Center in the Pine Belt, has also been recognized as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures in the areas of Heart Attack and Heart Failure.
To learn more about the cardiologists of Hattiesburg Heart and Vascular, visit Wesley.com.
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