Percutaneous left heart catheterization and coronary arteriography with and without an arterial sheath in patients without peripheral vascular disease.

The advantages and disadvantages of an arterial sheath to introduce catheters percutaneously through the femoral artery were prospectively studied in 184 consecutive patients without peripheral vascular disease undergoing routine diagnostic left heart catheterization and coronary arteriography. The arterial sheath was used randomly in 91 patients (sheath group) and the standard Seldinger technique in 93 (control group). There were no differences in age or sex between the two groups. All patients were studied with no premedication and had the same dose of lidocaine local anesthesia and heparin. No major complication occurred in any of the patients in the sheath or control groups. There were no significant differences in groin hematomas between the two groups. The patients in the control group more commonly had severe or moderately severe discomfort requiring additional local anesthesia. We conclude that the use of an arterial sheath percutaneously for introduction of catheters for left heart catheterization and coronary arteriography is advisable, particularly for anxious patients who have a low pain threshold.