Objective: To investigate the feasibility and safety of right heart catheterization through the antebrachium veins.
Methods: A total of 68 consecutive patients suspected with pulmonary vascular diseases underwent standard right heart catheterization and pulmonary angiography through the antebrachium veins were enrolled in this multicenter, cross-sectional study.
Results: The rate of successfully inserting the sheath into antebrachium veins was as high as 97.1% (66/68) and the rate of successfully performing right heart catheterization or pulmonary angiography through vascular access of antebrachium veins was 91.2% (62/68). The reasons of unsuccessful inserting the catheter to the right heart were due to the abnormality of antebrachium veins (2 cases) or stenosis of subclavian vein (3 cases) or unsatisfactory engorging of antebrachium veins since the history of drug injection (1 case). Haemorrhage of branch of axillary vein was the only adverse event occurred in one patient.
Conclusion: It is a safe, convenient and well-tolerant option to perform right heart catheterization and pulmonary angiography through the vascular access of antebrachium veins.