ABSTRACT
Catheterization of the heart via upper limb access sites has a long history, and has played a pivotal role in the development of invasive
cardiology. The first catheterization of a human heart was performed in 1929 when Werner Forssmann cut down on his own left antecubital vein and inserted a ureteric catheter which he then advanced to his right atrium. In the late 1950s Mason Sones performed the first selective coronary angiograms using a surgical technique to expose and cannulate the brachial artery, and the era of modern invasive and interventional cardiology began.
