Hi All,
Hope everyone is doing well. I have a quick question - hoping someone can help. Since my original burst in 2017, I have had at least 5 or 6 angiograms. In all of them they entered through my bikini line. Now I am hearing that on my upcoming one is September, they may go through the wrist…?? Has anyone had both or can you share your experience with the wrist. I spoke to a few people in my area that said the wrist is definitely a quicker recovery - but a little more painful. Needless to say that is freaking me out. Any insight will help
Thank you !!
Linda
I’ve had multiple angiograms since 2013. I remember when my Neurosurgeon told me that they would be switching to using the radial artery (wrist) rather than the femoral artery (groin). I turned to the members just as you have. The members here were enthusiastic about the use of the radial artery.
In 2021 I had my first radial artery angiogram. The members were absolutely correct! It was an easy procedure, even though my artery is tortuous (squiggly). The Resident used the artery checker machine (can’t remember the name, hope someone else knows it) and determined the radial was good enough to use. The Resident was allowed to put the catheter in (first time one was allowed to do anything on me) but stopped to allow Dr, Quintero-Wofe to get pass the squiggly part.
I didn’t have the amount of pain that I get in the femoral. Maybe because there wasn’t as much scar tissue to have to go through, I’m not sure. But Dr. Quintero-Wolfe did a fantastic job and when she was done, there was a device that went around my wrist instead of weight on the groin. The only hiccup I had was going into severe anaphylaxis as I’m allergic to contrast dye. The Nurse Anesthetist wasn’t ready for me to do that and didn’t have the proper medication that Dr. Q-W told her to give me. She had the Benadryl but not the dexamethasone. But all was good and I survived.
I didn’t have to lay flat on my back for those couple of hours, was allowed to be in a semi sitting position then a sitting position rather quickly. The RN came in and eased the air bag is what I called it, can’t recall the proper name, every 15 minutes or so, don’t remember the exact time. I had to eat and go to the bathroom, same as with the femoral and then I got to go home! It was fast!.
There wasn’t the amount of rules that I’ve been told when I had the femoral type done. I think it was no lifting more than 5 lbs for a day or two with that arm, but I could lift my 40 lb weight limit with the other (I was moving cinder blocks the next day with the one arm, couldn’t have done that if she went through the femoral) My vote goes to the radial entry!
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Thank you - this is helpful. I too, had a similar experience last time as I am allergic to contrast as well. I also remember feeling the procedure more then ever, and now I am wondering - to your point - if it was due to scar tissue as every procedure prior was done in the same area…
In any event, it needs to be done, and I hold on to the fact that once it is over, I get results that are comforting because the “what ifs” are gone lol
Thank you for sharing your story…I will keep you posted
Stay well xoxo
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I recently had one through my wrist and it wasn’t as painful. However, the bruising was intense. I was black and blue from my palm of my hand to almost my elbow for about 3 weeks. It was likely my fault due to over use. The next day I picked up pine cones for about 30 minutes with one of those grabber things. So don’t do that.
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Haha I will keep that in mind
Thank you so much for sharing !!
I also had a burst in 2017 and they did the angiograms through the groin until the last one in December when they went through the wrist. I found it very easy with minimal recovery time. Good luck!
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The wrist (radial artery) is a commonly used site for angiograms (although yes, classically the femoral artery is the usual go to). There are many reasons for going for the radial - one of them is if there is a lot of scar tissue near the femoral artery (after multiple access or other surgeries in that area), another is if the vessels in between the femoral and the heart and brain have a lot of calcium and other issues internally that can make it hard to thread catheters up to the brain. Femoral sites can also be higher risk of infection given the location compared to the wrist (overall this is very low). I think the wrist is also less prone to causing significant complications from bleeding. As others have pointed out, with the wrist access… you don’t have to lie flat for several hours after the procedure (with the femoral you usually do so as not to stress the area/put undue pressure internally which can increase chances of bleeding). With that said, no site is without risk so I can understand your concern! From what I understand, usually before wrist access they make sure you have good collateral circulation from the other artery (ulnar artery) to the wrist/fingers. They should do a good neurologic exam looking at strength/sensation before and after the procedure. You will usually have a tight splint kind of thing they will put around the wrist/forearm after the procedure (you can think of this as putting pressure on any cut to make sure it doesn’t bleed - simple pressure goes a long way in making sure the puncture site heals up!). If you do experience pain, just let someone know immediately so they can give you medications to help. I wish you all the best! Remember to take it easy afterwards. Don’t go around lifting anything heavy… slowly get back into the groove of things.
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You might be wondering why they don’t go for the wrist all the time! I think that’s because the femoral artery is bigger and allows for bigger catheters to be used. It just gives the surgeons more options. But the wrist is used a lot nowadays too for brain angiograms and heart stents and all.
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Please do keep us posted! Don’t forget to hydrate before and especially after LOL. Make sure they have the shots ready for you, experiencing talking. The first time I went anaphylactic was after the second angiogram. The RN that was overseeing me called the Resident on duty who actually told her no one is allergic to contrast dye. She had to get me to ask for my Neurosurgeon which he then had to call, she was giving me the Benadryl shot as they were talking. After that Dr. Shaw told us to have me take an extra Benadryl 30 minutes prior which seemed to help, but then they had to start giving me a Benadryl shot while I was still in the holding room, then both also before I went into the procedure room. BH always has a bottle of it I case I need it for afterwards, we don’t play around to wait for an order. Lesson learned, My silver lining is that I never, ever have to have another angiogram or contrast dye for that matter unless it’s to save my life! Happy dance!
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I feel your pain lol, my last one I can remember itching inside terribly and feeling it! We cant move so i yelled I am itching an I feel something - so they were pumping everything in me. I noted to my surgeon to be more demanding on my notes so that we don’t have a repeat ever again…
“no one is allergic to contrast” ?? That’s a joke, curious where he/she went to school lol
One thing this all proves - WE ARE ALL WARRIORS!
Hey there - they’ve been doing MRA’s on me but my last stent on the right side of my head was done through my wrist last May, I think they didn’t want me to be lopsided. Coil/stent on left/needed coil/stent on right. As stated previously, intense bruising. I’m right handed so it dampened some activity for a day or two but not as painful as femoral artery. Good luck!
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I learned with my last that anesthesiology has their own set of records. Make absolutely sure they have noted it there or it doesn’t do much good. I don’t know why hospitals don’t put their records in our patient portal, I want full transparency…
I believe it was a common misconception back when I ruptured that people couldn’t be allergic to contrast dye other than the iodine type. For those of us allergic to gadolinium, I think we have Chuck and Gina Norris to thank, who brought it to not only the public’s attention but more importantly, the medical community.
Every time I was to get an angiogram, I’d tell the folks Dr. X (very common name in medicine) wasn’t allowed anywhere near me. Then I figured out he must have graduated and I apologized to Dr. Q-W for limiting other Residents with the same last name. Dr.Q-W said she’d been curious but as a patient I had the right, next time she’s curious she’s going to ask for clarification lol. I think, but don’t really know, that he didn’t pass his residency.
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I’m a little late to groin vs wrist party. Had a heart angiogram or cath ( I think that is what it was) done about 6 years ago through my wrist, and it was horrible! My arm hurt for two weeks afterwards, felt like it was broken. My doctor said that other people had said the same thing, but I have a feeling it was the particular cardiologist who did it. I am having my 5th angiogram in August to check my coils and stent. Told my neuro interventionalist I won’t let him go through my wrist, because I had such a bad experience before. Thank goodness he is understanding! I’m sure going through the wrist would be fine, but so far the groin has gone well. Good luck, which ever way you choose 
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Welcome and thanks for posting your experience! Don’t worry about being late, you’re not! The party here on the aneurysm support group never ends!
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Hi, thank you for responding and NEVER worry about being late! All advice is appreciated
So here is what I am thinking, not sure if I am right but worth the mention…you mention that your experience was through the heart…the horror stories I heard were through the heart as well, not the brain…so now I am thinking…
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I didn’t know either/or was an option!! Thank you for bringing this to attention. I’m going to ask if mine can be done via wrist.
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Welcome again Ms Julie! Never hurts to ask…I think that’s a grand idea!
@Bsgirl you got me to thinking and I found this article from Harvard Medical School - From the wrist to the heart: new angioplasty method is safe, effective - Harvard Health. Which indicates that it’s not all that old here in the USA. I also wonder if the pain some have afterwards is due to the cleaning out of the arteries around the heart. My personal experience with heart catheters was almost three decades ago which was thru the femoral artery. I could feel where the catheter was and he pumped me up with enough drugs that I no longer felt it. Then when he saw the SVT, he called the whole hospital in (not really, just about a dozen or more showed up). Here I was laying naked as the day I was born and he didn’t cover me when he called everyone in - BH and BF, plus a couple of folks we went to church with, yikes!
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Continuing the discussion from Angiogram…groin entrance vs wrist:
I had a rupture in March of 2020 and have had 3 angiograms since. All were through the wrist with no complications and no pain… The procedure was done at 7:30 a.m and i was home by noon. no scaring or bruising. it really depends on how good the DR is at inserting the catheter.
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Thank you ALL! I feel better & more confident now.
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Lol, you poor thing! That’s another familiar story for me ( apparently we share a lot ) I found out one of my anesthesiologists back in the day - I cant remember what surgery - was a man who dated a friend of mine and we hung out bunches of times… he was one of many called in the room and I can remember saying to him " please tell me you didn’t see me naked" lol he would laugh and tell me Ahhhhhhh you’ll never know
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