A prospective evaluation of surgically treated groin complications following percutaneous cardiac procedures.

During an 18-month study period, 100 noncardiac surgical complications of a percutaneous cardiac interventional procedure were treated at Emory University Hospital. These were predominantly pseudoaneurysms (61.2%), groin hematomas (11.2%) arteriovenous fistulae (10.2%), and external bleeding (6.1%). Less common complications included retroperitoneal hematomas (5.1%), arterial thromboses (3.1%), groin abscess (2.0%), and a mycotic pseudoaneurysm (1.0%). The complication rate following diagnostic catheterization was 0.6 per cent, after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, 1.5 per cent, atherectomy 2.2 per cent, and after stent placement 16 per cent (P < 0.0001). The arterial puncture site was other than the common femoral artery in 34 per cent of cases. Risk factors for the development of complications were postprocedure anticoagulation (P < 0.0001), female gender (P < 0.005), increased age (P < 0.0001), and small stature (P < 0.0001). Duplex scanning had 98 per cent accuracy in diagnosis of suspected groin complications, and clinical diagnostic accuracy was 77 per cent. We describe our technique for repair of pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistula and discuss the possible future role of ultrasound guided compression. Mean hospital stay after the procedure was 3.2 days. Morbidity of surgical repair was 21 per cent and mortality was 2.1 per cent. Groin complications following percutaneous cardiac procedures are related to the type of procedure performed, female gender, and periprocedure anticoagulation.