Percutaneous high brachial aortography: a safe alternative to the translumbar approach.

Percutaneous high brachial aortography with a small diameter catheter (5 gauge) was used as an alternative to the translumbar approach in 45 patients in whom access via the femoral route was not considered possible. Only one serious complication occurred: the late development of a bleeding false aneurysm in a patient with renal failure and severe hypertension who was being treated with anticoagulants. The relevant limitations and complications of the translumbar and axillary approaches are discussed. We consider this technique to be a safe and simple alternative to translumbar aortography when femoral access is not possible.