Angiographic determination of arterial patency after percutaneous catheterization in infants and small children.

Patency of the femoral artery of infants and children who previously had percutaneous arterial catheterization at a weight of less than 25 kg was studied angiographically. During the study period, 118 patients had repeat arterial catheterization. 48 from the opposite leg. Femoral artery occlusion was found in four patients, while 44 of the 48 studied from the opposite leg had complete patency. At the later study, all four with blockage were asymptomatic and possessed good pedal pulses, while two had decreased femoral pulsations. When events surrounding initial catheterization were retrospectively analyzed, three of four had decreased pedal pulsations beyond six hours. It is concluded that 3-8% of patients weighing less than 25 kg have arterial occlusion after catheterization. This complication may be entirely asymptomatic, but these patients will require continued observation for possible late vascular problems.