In patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with rotational atherectomy radial access is safer and as efficient as femoral access.

Introduction: Transfemoral approach (TFA) may be preferred access site in order to facilitate complex percutaneous procedures such as rotational atherectomy (RA). Notwithstanding, there is a growing evidence that transradial approach (TRA) is associated with lower access site complication rates and even lower mortality. The aim was to assess in-hospital and 1-year outcomes in patients undergoing RA using TRA, in comparison to TFA.

Methods: A single center observational study included all consecutive patients, who underwent RA from 2010 to 2015. Primary endpoints were procedural success, in-hospital mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Secondary endpoints were 1-year all-cause mortality and MACE.

Results: The study included 177 patients, 69% in TRA group and 31% in TFA group. Except for male sex and logistic Euroscore II there were no differences in common risk factors. There was no difference in procedural success (95% vs 87%, P = 0.07) with even a trend in favor of TRA. Performing RA via TRA lower amount of contrast volume (P = 0.009) was used and hospital stay after the procedure was shorter (P = 0.004). Periprocedural complication rates were similar, however patients with TFA had significantly higher rate of major access site bleedings (13% vs 1%, P = 0.001), with no differences in mortality and other adverse events both in-hospital and during 1-year observation.

Conclusions: Even though RA is a demanding technique, when performed via TRA allows to maintain the same procedural success and long-term results in comparison to TFA, reduces in-hospital major access site bleedings, lowers the amount of contrast media and shortens hospital stay.