“A new twist on stents” is how Channel 13 KTRK-TV, the ABC affiliate in Houston, billed Christi Myers’ story today about the transradial approach to angioplasty and stenting. We’ve been writing about the growing adoption of radial access in the U.S. for four years now, so it’s great to see a TV report on this technique…because it means that patients in that locale (Houston, Texas) will be that much more aware that there is an option, a choice to be made, when having to get an angiogram, angioplasty or stent placed. (The piece profiles Dr. Colin Barker of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.)
In fact, the patient in this story had a stent placed via the wrist (radial approach) and then, due to a complication unrelated to the wrist, had to have another catheter procedure done through the groin (femoral approach). She reported that the wrist procedure was far more comfortable. And that’s what is going to drive the adoption of the radial approach. As more and more patients find out about it, they will request, even demand it.
Patients who are interested in finding a hospital that performs stent procedures from the wrist can use Angioplasty.Org’s “Radial Hospital Locator” and also read the latest news, interviews with experts and overview articles about the transradial approach in our “Radial Access Center“.