[Coronary angiography with a 5F catheter after percutaneous puncture of the right brachial artery. Technique and experience in 70 patients].

Out of a total of 1640 consecutive left heart catheterizations, 70 (58 males and 12 females; mean age 56 +/- 8 years) were performed via the right brachial artery, in most instances because of occlusive disease of the arteries in the pelvic region. 5F catheters were then successfully used for both the coronary and left-ventricular angiographies. Noninvasive examinations after two days (Doppler ultrasound, oscillography at rest and on exercise, acral plethysmography and colour-coded duplex sonography) revealed small haematomas in the region of the arterial puncture in four and a haemodynamically insignificant fistula between brachial artery and vein in one patient but no aneurysm, stenosis or thrombosis at the puncture site. This procedure is thus a valuable addition to invasive cardiological diagnosis.