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Toshiba’s Infinix-i Cardiovascular X-ray Helps Make Interventional Procedures Safer for Patients with the Transradial Approach
October 13, 2011
Using the radial artery to perform cardiac catheterizations is proven to lower the risk of vascular complications, reduce major bleeding and improve patient recovery time when compared to femoral access. The number of cardiac catheterizations in the U.S. done using the radial approach, currently 8 percent, is rapidly growing¹ as healthcare facilities realize the patient benefits. With a commitment from physicians and the right imaging technology, successfully using the radial approach is possible. One example is Shannon Medical Center, in San Angelo, Texas.
In the past few years, Shannon Medical Center, a 250-bed community hospital, focused on making the radial artery the access point of choice, which resulted in improved safety and outcomes for patients. Shannon Medical Center needed a new vascular X-ray imaging system to accommodate the right or left side radial approach and that was flexible enough to perform various cardiac interventional and other procedures.
Dr. J. Chris McClish, interventional cardiologist at Shannon Medical Center, led the search for the new imaging system and selected Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.’s Infinix™ VF-i single plane vascular X-ray system.
“Radial artery access is undeniably the future of cardiac catheterization and the flexibility and image quality of the Toshiba Infinix-i system allows safer, more efficient interventions,” said Dr. McClish. “For example, the system’s lateral movement and fingertip-to-fingertip coverage enable catheter exchanges during procedures without adjusting the table and changing alignment. As our default access site, radial reduces complications and improves patient satisfaction.”
The Infinix VF-i single plane is a dedicated cardiac cath lab featuring a floor mounted five-axis positioner, making it possible to obtain images without re-positioning patients. This allows clinicians unencumbered patient access and an ergonomic set-up, along with the ability to maneuver over the heart and down to the wrist. The Infinix-i monitors also float freely around the system and can be positioned for easy viewing regardless of right or left side radial approach.
Shannon Medical Center’s Radial Results
Within months, the Infinix VF-i system helped Shannon Medical Center increase radial procedure volume to approximately 65 percent of the 1,600 catheterization cases done per year, well above the national average. Shannon’s ability to perform this procedure with minimal complications and increased patient satisfaction has created a competitive advantage for the hospital, with patients traveling from all over the region for treatment.
With Toshiba’s Infinix-i X-ray system and a dedicated commitment from the hospital, transradial interventions can be done more frequently for safer exams that drive patient satisfaction and can provide competitive advantage for hospitals.
¹“Wrist May Be Route to Safer Heart Treatment,” Wall Street Journal, February 8, 2011.
Toshiba Web Site Provides Easy Access to Transradial Information
In recent years, the transradial approach to cardiac catheterization has been increasing in popularity among physicians and patients, because of faster patient recovery and lower risk of complications which can lead to better patient care and reduced costs. To address this trend, and show how Toshiba’s Infinix™-i is ideally suited for this procedure, Toshiba has introduced http://medical.toshiba.com/promo/cv/transradial/.
“Reducing costs and providing better patient care are top-of-mind in today’s healthcare environment,” said Stephen Bumb, director, X-ray/Vascular Business Unit, Toshiba. “The radial approach to intervention meets these needs, with multiple patient care advantages eventually leading to lower costs.”
Besides providing information on the advantages of the Infinix-i and benefits of the transradial approach versus the femoral approach, the microsite contains videos, downloadable case studies and brochures, related news articles and clinical images.
Visit the Toshiba Transradial Web Site at http://medical.toshiba.com/promo/cv/transradial/.
The Truth About Radial
Although transradial approach is gaining momentum in U.S., many hospitals have yet to discover this safer approach to cardiac catheterizations. Answer the following questions true or false to test your knowledge on radial facts and learn why this procedure is becoming more and more popular with clinicians and patients.
1. A transradial procedure is an intervention which uses the radial artery near the wrist as the main access point.
TRUE: Transradial refers to diagnostic and interventional procedures using the radial artery near the wrist, rather than the femoral artery near the groin, as the main access point for intervention.
2. Using the radial approach can improve patient outcomes and lead to reduced costs.
TRUE: Performing cardiac catheterizations through the radial artery is proven to lower the risk of vascular complications, reduce major bleeding and improve patient recovery time when compared to femoral access.
3. Radial entry can only be used to perform interventions to the heart.
FALSE: The most popular procedure for radial access is either a diagnostic heart cath or an interventional procedure such as a percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, so usually procedures involve the heart. But radial entry can be used to intervene in other anatomical areas such as the kidneys.
4. Either the right or the left arm can be used for radial entry.
TRUE: Either arm can be used. About 80 percent of the procedures are performed using the right arm and 20 percent with the left. Toshiba’s Infinix-i line facilitates both approaches better than any other cath lab available.
5. About 50 percent of interventions in the U.S. use the radial entry.
FALSE: The radial approach is used more than 50 percent of the time globally, but only approximately 8 percent of the time in the U.S. However, more U.S.-based hospitals are turning to the radial approach since it is easier and safer for patients. The low U.S. adoption rate is due to interventionalists being trained with the femoral approach and/or because some vascular x-ray systems do not easily accommodate this alternative procedure.
6. The radial approach is more difficult than the femoral approach.
FALSE: While the radial approach does use a smaller artery, with proper training and a system that allows for flexible positioning, like Toshiba’s Infinix-i, many clinicians find this approach easier than the femoral approach and much safer for the patient.
7. Toshiba’s Infinix-i vascular x-ray system can help make transradial procedures easier.
TRUE: The Infinix-i’s innovative 5-axis C-arm design allows for greater flexibility of positioning over the wrist to the heart, with head-to-toe and fingertip-to-fingertip coverage. By keeping the C-arm completely out of the way, it allows clinicians to position the monitor suspension into the most desirable viewing position and move the tableside control and radiation shield to either side of the table, accommodating right side or left side entry.