Arterial Closure Device Recommendations

The number and quality of clinical studies on arterial closure devices for cardiovascular procedures limits their widespread use, but new recommendations issued by the American Heart Association are intended to aid cardiologists considering use of these technologies. The recommendations were published online Oct. 4 in Circulation.
(HealthDay News) — The number and quality of clinical studies on arterial closure devices (ACDs) for cardiovascular procedures limits their widespread use, but new recommendations issued by the American Heart Association are intended to aid cardiologists considering use of these technologies. The recommendations were published online Oct. 4 in Circulation.
Manesh R. Patel, M.D., chair of the American Heart Association writing committee issuing the statement, and colleagues summarized the current state of vascular access, including patient risks, the evidence for use of various ACDs, and recommendations for their use. Seven million invasive cardiovascular procedures are performed each year, with numbers expected to increase in the future, and vascular access complications may be as high as 6 percent, the authors write.
After an extensive literature review of both passive and active closure devices, the committee issued five recommendations regarding ACD use. According to the recommendations, patients considered for use of femoral ACDs should undergo a femoral angiogram to ensure anatomic suitability for their use; facilities using manual compression should aim to achieve low vascular complication rates (below 1 percent); ACDs should not be used routinely, but can reasonably be used for faster hemostasis, and possibly improved patient comfort, as long as risks are weighed against benefits; and data on complications should be systematically collected via registry and reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Click Thumbnail below to view.