ABSTRACT
Introduction Transradial arterial access is a valuable skill for the coronary or peripheral interventionist. In the early days of endovascular intervention, sheath and catheter sizes precluded the use of the radial artery.1 However, since 1989 when Campeau first described the technique of successful transradial coronary angiography with 6-French catheters,2 equipment has become progressively more miniaturized and streamlined. Annually, transradial cases account for less than 10% of coronary procedures in the US,3 but this number is expected to rise with increasing operator familiarity and growing patient expectations for procedural comfort and rapid ambulation.
