Safety and efficacy of an early deambulation protocol after PTCA with an Angio-seal device

Introduction. In order to assess the efficacy and safety of an early deambulation (1-2 h) protocol after coronary angioplasty using the Angio-seal collagen plug, we analyzed a consecutive series of patients treated with this device versus a reference group treated with mechanical compression. Patients and methods. Two hundred and seven coronary angioplasty patients were included from February to August 2000. Ninety-eight were treated with mechanical compression and one hundred and nine with the Angioseal collagen plug. All patients were followed at discharge and fifteen days after surgery. Results. Eighty percent of the patients receiving the Angio-seal device achieved immediate hemostasis (< 1 min). In patients with mechanical compression hemostasis was achieved within 30 min in 68.3%, whereas 25.5% of patients required more than 40 min. First deambulation in the Angio-seal group was achieved within 2 h in 94.5% of the patients. The incidence of major complications was low in both groups (1 case in the Angio-seal group and 2 in the C-clamp group) without statistically significant differences. The Angio-seal group showed a lower incidence of overall vascular complications as compared to the C-clamp group (4.6% vs. 14.3%; p = 0.02). Conclusion. Following our protocol, an early deambulation strategy after coronary angioplasty with the use of the Angio-seal collagen plug was feasible, safe and efficacious.