ABSTRACT

Femoral arterial catheterization is one of the most frequently performed invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Currently, several million are performed globally each year.1

Post-procedure the most commonly used management strategy consists of applying manual or mechanical compression including external inflatable compressors such as Femostop™ to promote haemo-stasis.2 This process is generally considered adequate to manage femoral arterial punctures; however, this is often painful for the patient and time consuming for the attending hospital staff.3-5

Intervention procedures usually require the use of larger sheaths and are performed in combination with an anti-coagulation regime.6 For such patients, once the ACT had fallen to a satisfactory level, manual compression was until recently the only way to control bleeding.4 Early sheath removal is therefore precluded and bed rest of variable duration is needed depending on the anti-coagulation level. In addition, for certain high risk patients who have received aggressive anti-coagulation therapy, indwelling sheaths have to be left in situ for several hours or overnight and compression must be maintained for an extended period of time after sheath removal. Prolonged pressure bandage is also a source of discomfort and hazard since the development of complications, such as haematoma, oozing and arterial bleeding, are concealed and noticed much too late.