Suture-mediated percutaneous closure of antegrade femoral arterial access sites in patients who have received full anticoagulation therapy

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and clinical usefulness of suture-mediated closure of femoral arterial access sites after antegrade puncture for peripheral arterial interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty consecutive patients (49 men, 31 women; mean age +/- SD, 65.4 years +/- 12.3) who had undergone femoropopliteal angioplasty underwent suture-mediated percutaneous closure with 6-, 7-, or 8-F devices. Patients received heparin intravenously and aspirin orally and were immobilized for 1 hour after the intervention. All patients underwent a physical examination the day after the procedure. Color-coded duplex ultrasonography was performed in those patients (n = 27 [33%]) who were obese, were experiencing pain, and had suspicious clinical findings. After 3 months, an identical clinical examination was performed in every third patient. RESULTS: Hemostasis was achieved in 77 (96%) patients; one of 80 patients required blood transfusions and surgery despite an initially successful closure. The closure devices could be deployed in 78 (98%) patients; two of 80 patients needed compression because of a steep angulation of the puncture track and suture entrapment. Adjunctive compression was necessary in two (3%) of the remaining 78 patients. Mean time to hemostasis in the 78 patients who had successful device deployment was 5.2 minutes (range, 3.0-21.0 minutes). Minor complications (ie, three small hematomas, a pseudoaneurysm, and a small lymphatic fistula) occurred in five (6%) patients. CONCLUSION: Suture-mediated percutaneous closure of antegrade puncture sites in the groin is feasible. Problems may arise in antegrade punctures owing to steep device angulation.