Complication rates of selective percutaneous transfemoral coronary arteriography. A review of 1094 consecutive examinations.

A review is presented of 1094 selective coronary artery studies during a 3-year period in which 7001 coronary artery injections were performed using the percutaneous transfemoral artery approach as described by Judkins. A total of 24 serious complications occurred, including 11 ventricular fibrillations, 5 asystoles or severe bradycardias, 3 acute myocardial infarctions and 5 cerebral vascular accidents. There were 5 deaths, giving an overall mortality rate of 0.46%. Causes of individual complications are analyzed. The incidence of serious cardiac complications did not differ significantly from that reported in the literature with the Sones technique. The Judkins technique is a simple and reliable method for selective coronary arteriography. In our opinion, the incidence of complications can be kept at an acceptably low level by meticulous examination techniques.