History:

LASER or Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation has a variety of commercial uses and is finding a remerging niche in interventional cardiology. The early lasers were argon and Nd: YAG and generated thermal energy to vaporise tissue and plaque material. The disadvantage was excessive thermal injury and vascular damage. Newer lasers such as the FDA approved EXCIMER LASER (Spectranetics) generate cool 308 nm laser energy by electrically charging two gases, Xenon and Chloride (XeCl). The first Excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ECLA) was performed in 1988.

Coronary artery catheterisation is performed through two main routes: the femoral and radial arteries. Femoral artery access forms the traditional route while a third route namely, the brachial artery, involves a surgical cut down method is now largely defunct. This article looks at the basic radial artery anatomy, considerations for radial artery access – including patient care, advantages and disadvantages when compared with the more popular femoral approach.