Routine Ultrasound Guidance for Vascular Access for Cardiac Procedures

Routine Ultrasound Guidance for Vascular Access for Cardiac Procedures: a Randomized Trial

A randomized, controlled trial to determine whether the use of ultrasound guidance for vascular access during coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) will reduce the rates of major vascular complications.

Patients who will undergo a coronary angiography or PCI using femoral access will be allocated to either: 1) femoral access using fluoroscopic and ultrasound guidance, or 2) femoral access using fluoroscopic guidance alone.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patient referred for coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in whom femoral access is planned.
2. Planned femoral access

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≤ 18 years
2. STEMI
3. Absence of palpable femoral pulse