Femoral arterial injury following catheterization. Duplex evaluation.

Over a 24-month period, 21 patients underwent duplex Doppler evaluation for arterial injury secondary to catheterization. There were seven pseudoaneurysms, one arteriovenous fistula, eight hematomas, and one true aneurysm. Duplex ultrasound was 100% sensitive and specific for detection of pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas. The real-time examination alone was unreliable. The only necessary criterion for diagnosis of a femoral pseudoaneurysm was the presence of pulsatile flow in a cystic collection separate from the common femoral artery. This could be determined rapidly. Arterial flow in the femoral vein confirmed the presence of an arteriovenous fistula.