Ultrasound Versus Fluoroscopically-guided Arterial Access in Non-cardiac Vascular Patients

In the investigators vascular practice, either fluoroscopic- or ultrasound-guided technique is routinely used to obtain femoral arterial access. Ultrasound-guidance is frequently used in patients with weak or absent pulses, known abnormal vascular anatomy, need for bypass graft puncture, and to ensure accurate arterial puncture in patients expected to receive large doses of blood-thinning medications during or after the procedure. For those practitioners experienced with ultrasound-guided access techniques, it is considered highly accurate and easy to use; thus, some physicians routinely use this tool. A well-designed study is needed to truly assess the accuracy of the ultrasound technique and to determine whether it may reduce complications of arterial access in vascular patients.

By demonstrating the safest, most accurate and efficient technique for obtaining arterial access during catheter-based procedures, the investigators could significantly reduce morbidity and mortality associated with complications of arterial puncture. Length of hospital stay, management costs and patient discomfort could be reduced by minimizing complication rates.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Arterial Cannulation During Vascular Procedures
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: arterial cannulation by angiographic imaging

Detailed Description

Arterial access accounts for the highest frequency of complications in catheter-based procedures in the U.S. In our vascular practice, ultrasound-guidance is frequently used in patients with weak or absent pulses, known aberrant vascular anatomy, need for graft puncture, and to ensure accurate arterial puncture in patients expected to receive large doses of anti-thrombotic medications. Some practitioners routinely use this modality. The purpose of this study is to determine whether real-time ultrasound guidance is superior to fluoroscopic guidance in obtaining successful arterial cannulation during diagnostic and interventional catheter-based procedures in a primarily non-cardiac vascular patient population. Patients will be randomized to receive either real-time ultrasound-guided arterial access or fluoroscopic-guided access. Baseline patient demographics, co-morbidities, medications, pertinent laboratory data, and indications for procedure will be recorded. Procedural data recorded will include procedure type, type of access, operator, pulse quality, sheath size, closure device, angiographic data for access artery, antithrombotic medications used, and intra-procedural activated clotting times. Primary endpoint will be successful arterial cannulation by angiographic imaging. Secondary end points will be time to access, number of attempts, accidental venipunctures, first pass success, complication rates and hospital length of stay. Data regarding complications (patient history, examination, laboratory or imaging studies) will be included for a period of 90 days after the procedure.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 643

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • West Virginia
    • Charleston, West Virginia, United States, 25304
      • Vascular Center of Excellence

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Subjects referred to the West Virginia University Department of Surgery: Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery with accepted indications to undergo a catheter-based diagnostic or interventional procedure requiring arterial cannulation.Procedures include peripheral, renal, mesenteric and carotid.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients greater than 18 years of age undergoing a non-cardiac catheter-based diagnostic or interventional procedure requiring femoral artery cannulation. This will include patients with co-morbid conditions of coronary artery disease and other cardiac health problems.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients less than 18 years of age.
2. Patients enrolled in another IRB approved biomedical study.
3. Pregnant females.
4. Prisoners.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Control
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Ultrasound	Procedure: arterial cannulation by angiographic imaging; comparing successful arterial cannulation in case of non-cardiac vascular patient population.
Fluoroscopy	Procedure: arterial cannulation by angiographic imaging; comparing successful arterial cannulation in case of non-cardiac vascular patient population.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Number of successful arterial cannulation by ultrasound and by fluoroscopy i.e. between two groups.	within 30 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Number of attempts, accidental venipunctures, first pass success, complications for arterial cannulation by ultrasound and by fluoroscopy i.e. between two groups.	within 30 to 90 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: CAMC Health System
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Patrick Stone, M.D., CAMC Medical Staff-with admitting privileges

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Stone P, Campbell J, Thompson S, Walker J. A prospective, randomized study comparing ultrasound versus fluoroscopic guided femoral arterial access in noncardiac vascular patients. J Vasc Surg. 2020 Jul;72(1):259-267. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2019.09.051. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 23, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 4, 2012
• First Posted (Estimated): June 5, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 18, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 17, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 1997155