Single Center Experience with Transradial Access [TRA] for diagnostic Coronary Angiography and Intervention with resultant Fluoroscopy times and contrast volumes

Background
Over the past 10 years TRA has been adopted in higher proportion of procedures in the United States, but still lags behind European countries due to the perception of increased contrast volumes and fluoroscopy times. Advancements in technology, and a more keen awareness of the risks of radiation exposure as well as volume of contrast used and strategies have been adopted to minimize these risks.

Methods
At Sarasota Memorial Hospital we followed 19,339 patients from January 2012-March 2018 patients for 6 years, measuring the amount contrast received and exposure times to radiation. We categorized these patients into total, number of patients receiving a diagnostic heart catheterization only, and those receiving diagnostic and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and those receiving PCI only.

Results
Our institution has paralled similar studies over the past 10 years, in that, with a higher proportion of procedures performed via TRA, we have continuously improved our practice pattern and lowered our fluoroscopy times and volume of contrast used.

Conclusions
Our conclusions are that continued adoption of the TRA for diagnostic and/or PCI, the fluoroscopy times and volume of contrast will continue to drop which will not only minimize the harmful effects that may occur, but also result in an overall cost savings.