Deval Mehta, MD, FACC, has introduced to Huguley an innovative method of cardiac catheterizations that increases patient comfort and reduces the risk of complications. 

In the majority of catheterizations, a thin tube is inserted near the groin into the large femoral artery at the top of the leg and threaded into the heart or peripheral arteries to the affected site.  However, Dr. Mehta has recently undergone specialized training to perform cardiac catheterizations in which the catheter is inserted through the wrist.   This technique, which uses more complex techniques and improved technology, greatly reduces the risk of serious bleeding after the procedure, which is the most common complication of cardiac catheterizations done through the femoral artery.

“Currently only 6 to 7% of cardiac catheterizations nationwide are being accessed through the radial artery, but this will increase substantially as more physicians are trained in the new technique,” said Dr. Mehta, an interventional cardiologist in the Huguley office of Fort Worth Heart. 

After a traditional catheterization using the femoral artery, a patient must lay flat and remain still with pressure on the site for six to eight hours following the procedure to allow the wound site to close and heal.  Movement during this time can cause the site to bleed and require additional hours spent lying still in bed to reduce the chance of a serious complication.  This can be especially difficult for patients who are severely overweight, for elderly patients and for those with chronic back pain or breathing difficulties.

In contrast, the radial artery at the wrist is smaller, right under the skin and responds more quickly to pressure to close the wound site.  Patients only have to remain in bed for 15 minutes after the procedure.  Recovery time is quicker and most patients can return to normal activities more quickly. 

“The procedure, which uses smaller catheters, is technically more challenging for the interventional cardiologist and may take a little longer than femoral cardiac catheterizations.  However, the patient benefits because the procedure is more comfortable, the risk of bleeding is significantly reduced, and the recovery is faster.  Using radial access for a cardiac catheterization allows most patients to go home the same day,” said Dr. Mehta.

Not all patients are candidates for radial access catheterizations.  Complicated cases, patients with small arteries, or patients with anatomical twists will still require traditional access through the leg.

Cardiac catheterization is a common procedure that detects blockages in blood vessels in the heart and throughout the body and clears those blockages using angioplasty and stents to restore critical blood flow. 

Cardiovascular catheterization interventions are considered a safe and effective, minimally invasive treatment to open blocked arteries.  Emergency catheterizations and angioplasties are performed to open an artery in the shortest possible time and thus minimize the damage caused by a heart attack.

“Our interventional cardiologists at Huguley have a high success rate performing catheterizations.  In fact, 100% of our heart attack patients had blood flow re-established faster than the national standard in 2010. Now we have an additional treatment available, based on each patient’s circumstances, that will enhance our cardiovascular services,” said Barbara Willis, RN, cardiovascular services director.

“Huguley is committed to providing advanced care and the best options to improve patient care and safety.  The skills and expertise of our physicians provide a high level of care that benefits our community,” said Tammy Collier, RN, FACHE, vice president of patient care services.

Dr. Mehta joined Fort Worth Heart in 2008 after working as a cardiologist in Modesto, California.  He offers endovascular treatment of blocked arteries for peripheral, renal and carotid artery disease.