The Interscapular Lift: Unfolding the Tortuous Subclavian Artery.

OBJECTIVE

Transradial cardiac catheterization has gained popularity because of its reduced risk of access-site complications, yet procedural failures remain frequent, often caused by subclavian artery tortuosity. We propose an alternative maneuver to improve procedural success rates, addressing the challenge of subclavian artery tortuosity more efficiently than existing time-consuming and resource-intensive techniques.

KEY STEPS

Place a towel between the patient's scapulae to retract the shoulders before advancing the catheter.

POTENTIAL PITFALLS

Aside from the increased time taken to place the towel and patient discomfort, no pitfalls are anticipated when attempting this maneuver.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: In cases of severe subclavian artery tortuosity, positioning the patient supine with a towel between the scapulae can facilitate successful transradial cardiac catheterization.