The New York Area Experts in Radial (Wrist) Artery Entry

Reduced Risk of Complications

Increased Comfort and Convenience

Who Is a Candidate?

The Highest Standard of Care

Cryocath

The New York Area Experts in Radial (Wrist) Artery Entry
In nearly 60% of cardiac catheterization (coronary angiogram) cases performed at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, the catheter is inserted in the radial artery at the wrist rather than the femoral artery in the groin, the traditional entry site. This compares to only 1% to 4% of cases performed radially in the typical cath lab.

In fact, LIJ performs more radial artery procedures than any other hospital in the Northeast.

The high volume of procedures performed via the radial artery in LIJ's busy Cardiac Catheterization Labs has given our interventional cardiologists the experience necessary to become highly skilled in this procedure. We are also able to perform all types of interventional procedures (angioplasty and stents) from the radial approach. This procedure offers several important advantages for any suitable patient.

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Reduced Risk of Complications
The risk of bleeding from a cardiac procedure performed from the groin has been reported to be approximately 3-7%. These bleeding risks include retroperitoneal bleeding (abdominal bleeding), hematoma, pseudo-aneurysm or damage to the artery that requires surgery, and need for a blood transfusion.

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The radial approach has virtually eliminated these complications. In addition, some angioplasty procedures may require powerful blood thinners (glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors) which are safer to use when the radial approach is chosen.

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Increased Comfort and Convenience
Patients who have had angiograms from the femoral artery are required to lie flat without moving for several hours after the procedure.

In addition, femoral angiograms can require aggressive manual compression at the site for up to 30 minutes. The closure devices often used after femoral artery cardiac catheterizations have not significantly reduced the bleeding complication rates.

Patients done via the radial artery are able to sit up immediately and potentially discharged from the hospital within one to two hours if no angioplasty is necessary.

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Who Is a Candidate?
Radial artery angiography may specifically be a preferred option for patients who:

• Take blood thinners such as Coumadin
• Have previous groin complications from cardiac cath
• Have peripheral vascular disease (blockages in leg arteries)
• Are overweight
• Suffer back pain

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The Highest Standard of Care
The Cardiac Catheterization Labs at LIJ offer state-of-the-art technology unsurpassed in the tristate region. In addition, the staff including interventional cardiologists, nurses, technologists, fellows and physician assistants, are skilled and caring. Our program is among the most established and respected in the region. All of the cardiologists in the LIJ Cath Lab are committed to the radial approach for coronary angiography and interventions. When cardiac catheterization or angioplasty is required, it makes sense to choose LIJ.

To obtain further information about the services offered at the Cardiac Catheterization Labs, or to schedule a cardiac catheterization procedure, call our cardiology booking nurse at (516) or (718) 470-4350.

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Cryoablation permits us to "map" abnormal heart rhythms and freeze small portions of heart muscle, curing patients from debilitating rapid heart beats. The traditional technique for curing rapid heart beats has been to cauterize or "burn" the heart muscle.

While this remains an effective technique, it carries the risk of causing blood clots. In addition, the damage caused by burning is irreversible. Freezing can be performed to -30 degrees Celsius to "stun" the cardiac tissue and test the targeted heart muscle tissue. If the targeted spot is incorrect, the tissue is permitted to warm up and recover. However, if stunning the tissue stops the abnormal heart rhythm, the tissue can be frozen to -70 degrees Celsius, preventing the cell from ever causing an abnormal heart rhythm again.

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