Femoral pseudoaneurysms after percutaneous access

Abstract

The femoral artery has been the primary percutaneous-based arterial access site for coronary artery catheterizations for more than three decades. Noncardiac percutaneous-based procedures have also been performed primarily with femoral access and have increased in number exponentially by vascular specialists in past decades. Groin complications are infrequent in incidence after femoral arterial access for cardiac and peripheral diagnostic and interventional cases, with groin hematomas and pseudoaneurysms being the most common. Until ultrasound-based treatment modalities became the mainstay of treatment, vascular surgeons were the primary specialty managing pseudoaneurysms, but now other specialties also manage these cases. This review outlines the clinical implications and current issues relevant to understanding the ideal treatment strategy for this common complication.