Effects of three methods of femoral site immobilization on bleeding and comfort after coronary angiogram.

BACKGROUND

Postangiogram femoral site care varies by institution and practitioner. The literature is unclear about which intervention provides the best hemostasis and patient comfort.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate which method of femoral site immobilization results in less bleeding and more comfort after coronary angiography.

METHODS

Three hundred inpatients and outpatients undergoing coronary angiography in a large, metropolitan, tertiary care facility were assigned randomly to three types of femoral site immobilization. A three-group experimental design was used in this intervention study. Patients were on bedrest and received one of the following interventions to the affected (site of puncture) leg for 6 hours: group 1 had a sandbag applied to the femoral site, group 2 had a sheet over the affected leg and tucked under the mattress, and group 3 had verbal instruction to keep the leg straight and still. An ordinal level hemostasis scale was developed, with descriptors based on the extent of intervention necessary, ranging from 1 = none to 5 = surgical. A 17-item, Likert-type scale was used.

RESULTS

The verbal instruction group experienced significantly more bleeding than the sandbag group. There was no difference in bleeding or comfort between the sandbag and sheet-tuck groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that sheet-tuck immobilization of the affected leg provides the same degree of hemostasis to the femoral site after coronary angiography as the sandbag.