Five French versus eight French catheters and the Judkins technique. Advantages and limitations for studying coronary artery disease.

In order to compare 5 French versus 8 French catheters for assessing ischemic heart disease, we prospectively studied 2 groups of 100 patients each, one with 5 French (group I) and the other with 8 French (group II) catheters by the Judkins technique. Significant differences were found in the greater easiness to catheterize LV (p less than 0.05) and LCA (p = 0.01) in group II and in better quality image for LCA in group II (p less than 0.05), although all patients in both groups had acceptable image quality. Pressure curves quality was better in group II (p less than 0.01); X-ray exposure time was longer in group I (p less than 0.001) and arterial compression time in group II (p less than 0.0001). Group I showed 3 and group II 10 mild hematomas (p less than 0.05). The procedure could be completed by the elected first artery and type of catheter in 95 patients in group I and in 96 in group II. Thus, the Judkins technique with 5 French catheters is as valid as with 8 French for assessing ischemic patients, reducing arterial morbidity, although mildly increasing technical difficulty and mildly decreasing quality image.