[Not Available].

Purpose: to compare rates of access site complications at early (after 4 hours) and traditional (after 24 hours) removal of a compression bandage after diagnostic transradial (TR) coronary angiography (CA) in patients not receiving anticoagulants.

Materials And Methods: We included into this study 392 patients (mean age 63±8.7 years, 62.8% men) who underwent transradial coronary angiography. Patients were divided into 2 groups. In group 1 patients (n=221) compression bandage was removed from puncture site in 4 hours after procedure with subsequent control of radial artery patency using presence of pulse metric curve during ulnar artery compression (the reverse Barbeau test with pulse oximeter). In patients of group 2 (n=171) compression band was removed after 24 hours. In both groups control of radial artery patency was carried out after 24 hours using the reverse Barbeau test. Upon detection of radial artery occlusion (RAO) ultrasound imaging of the forearm arteries was performed.

Results: No RAO was detected in group 1 while in group 2 number of detected RAO was 15 (8.8%) (р<0.05). Rates of hematomas at puncture site were not significantly different. Puncture site bleeding after band removal requiring repeated banding occurred in 1 patient of group one (0.6%); no such cases were registered in group 2 (p>0.05).

Conclusion: Compared with traditional method early removal of compression bandage after TR CA was associated with lower rate of RAO.