ULnar Artery Transient Compression Facilitating Radial Artery Patent Hemostasis (ULTRA): A Novel Technique to Reduce Radial Artery Occlusion After Transradial Coronary Catheterization

Aims. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel technique with simultaneous compression of the ulnar artery in order to reduce the incidence of radial artery occlusion (RAO) after transradial cardiac catheterizations. Methods and Results. Ipsilateral ulnar artery transient compression for 1 hour facilitating radial artery patent hemostasis (ULTRA) was performed in all patients treated transradially in October 2015 and was compared with patients treated with conventional patent hemostasis in September 2015. The primary endpoint of the study was to evaluate the incidence of RAO within 1 hour after removing the closure device, confirmed by the absence of palpation and the consecutive absence of flow signal with Doppler examination. A total of 119 patients were treated with the ULTRA method and 121 patients with conventional patent hemostasis. None of the patients treated with ULTRA had RAO compared with 6 patients (5%) of those treated with conventional patent hemostasis (P=.01). No hematomas EASY class >= 3, nerve injury, or ischemic pain complications were recorded in either group. Conclusion. The ULTRA technique may reduce the incidence of RAO in patients treated with the radial approach compared with conventional patent hemostasis.