Radial Artery Occlusion

The RADIUS study is a prospective observational registry designed to collect real-world data regarding radial and ulnar artery access in percutaneous vascular interventions. The study aims to evaluate procedural characteristics, access-site complications, procedural success, and short-term clinical outcomes associated with transradial and transulnar vascular access. Patients undergoing routine percutaneous vascular interventions via radial or ulnar artery access at Mersin Medical Park Hospital will be consecutively enrolled. Demographic, clinical, angiographic, procedural, and post-procedural data will be prospectively collected and analyzed. The study was initially designed as a single-center registry; however, following Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, expansion into a multicenter registry with participating centers is planned. This study is observational in nature and does not involve any experimental treatment, device, or intervention beyond standard clinical care.

While the reduced hemorrhagic risk of radial access for percutaneous coronary intervention compared to femoral access is well-established, its main complication remains radial artery occlusion, which can occur in up to 30% of patients. Anticoagulation is the primary preventive measure recommended in clinical practice to reduce the risk of this complication, typically involving heparin injection during the procedure in most centers. However, data on the effect of the timing of heparin injection are limited. The investigators hypothesize that injection of heparin before sheath insertion may reduce the rate of radial artery occlusion compared with injection after sheath insertion.

Coronary angiography and angioplasty are commonly performed through the radial artery at the wrist as this approach is associated with fewer bleeding complications and faster recovery. In some patients, the radial artery becomes occluded after prior procedures, requiring selection of an alternative access site for future coronary interventions. The ulnar artery is a potential alternative wrist access. However, limited data are available on the safety of using the ulnar artery in the same arm as an occluded radial artery and on the possible effects on hand strength, sensation, and daily hand function. The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the safety of transulnar access and its effect on hand function in adults with ipsilateral radial artery occlusion undergoing coronary angiography or angioplasty. The main questions addressed by the study are: * How often do serious access-related vascular or nerve complications occur? * Does hand strength, sensation, or functional use of the hand change during follow-up? * Does the ulnar artery remain patent after the procedure? The choice of vascular access site is made by the treating physician based on clinical judgment. Participants who undergo transulnar access will undergo follow-up assessments, including ultrasound evaluation of arm arteries, standardized hand function testing, and short questionnaires assessing upper-limb function. The findings of this study are expected to inform access-site selection, improve patient counseling, and support safer care for patients with radial artery occlusion undergoing coronary procedures.

Randomized study comparing the systematic use of heparin (standard of care) against an elective use of heparin to prevent radial artery occlusion after a percutaneous catheterization using a dual-artery compression system.

This randomized, double-blind, controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of preprocedural hand exercise using a stress ball on the incidence of radial artery spasm and other vascular complications in patients undergoing elective coronary angiography via the transradial approach. A total of 400 adult patients scheduled for elective diagnostic or interventional coronary procedures will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group (preprocedural stress ball exercise) or a control group (standard care). The intervention group will perform hand exercises with a soft stress ball for 5 minutes, three times daily, for three consecutive days prior to the procedure. The primary outcomes are the incidence of radial artery spasm during the procedure and the overall rate of radial artery complications. Secondary outcomes include patient-reported pain score (visual analog scale) during the procedure and the incidence of radial artery occlusion at 7 days, assessed by Doppler ultrasonography. This study aims to determine whether this simple, low-cost strategy can reduce radial artery-related complications and improve patient comfort during transradial coronary procedures.

* Improving patient comfort and implementing the protocols required to minimize the risk of RAO must be part of quality control. * Several procedural parameters are related to the risk of RAO but hemostasis is a critical period. * Despite the fact that non-occlusive hemostasis of the radial artery is a recognized and effective technique for reducing the risk of RAO, it is rarely practiced because it is tedious, involves additional care and is not always effective with current hemostasis systems. * Prophylactic compression of the cubital artery during radial artery hemostasis has been shown to be effective in maintaining non-occlusive hemostasis but requires 2 devices and does not simplify care procedures. * The Terry2™ band is a new dual device that offers effortless non-occlusive radial hemostasis and does not require repeated intervention by nursing staff. The primary objectives of this observational study are to demonstrate the benefits, safety and impact on care of using Terry2™ band in patients undergoing diagnostic or interventional catheterization by radial (or ulnar) approach.

The purpose of the RIVA-RAO study is to determine whether the use of Rivaroxaban is an effective treatment of radial artery occlusion (RAO) after cardiac catheterization (both angiography and PCI). This is a prospective, single-center, randomized controlled, open-label study that will randomize patients with RAO into two groups, one receiving Rivaroxaban and the other receiving no anticoagulation. RAO will be detected by radial artery ultrasound up to 24 hours after the procedure. Study objectives: Primary objective: To evaluate the effect of treatment with Rivaroxaban, in patients (both symptomatic and asymptomatic) with RAO after a coronary catheterization procedure (both angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention-PCI), in improving patency rates of the radial artery at 4 weeks after the procedure, compared with no-anticoagulation treatment. Secondary objectives: To compare local access site and systemic complications (bleeding events, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula) at 4 weeks after the procedure between the two groups.