WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsWrist Angioplasty Growing in Popularity

Wrist Angioplasty Growing in Popularity

Fifty-five-year-old Rick Augustine is being prepped for doctors to take a look at how the blood's flowing to his heart.

Rick Augustine says, "Today I get a cardiac cath to begin with. And if they find a blockage, which they think they'll find, I will get a stent."

Doctors have been doing cardiac catheritizations or angioplasties for decades. But Rick's procedure has a new twist.

Instead of gaining access to rick's heart through the femoral artery in his groin, the doctor will go in through Rick's wrist -- using the radial artery.

"I think it's great from what the doctor tells me, a little quicker recovery."

Dr. Michael Martinelli says "It's safer in many instances, and it's all about patient comfort."

In a catherization a tiny wire is inserted into an artery through a hollow needle.

Dye can be injected to see how the blood is flowing. The wrist provides easy access.

If a blockage is found, the doctor can insert a balloon, inflate it and open the artery.

Then a stent is put into place to keep the artery open.

And they can do it all through the wrist.

The patient is awake, but lightly sedated.

Dr. Martinelli says, in rare cases due to certain medical conditions, they still have to go in through the groin.

As for Rick, he expects to be back on the job as a mechanical engineer with only a tiny mark on his wrist to attest to the procedure.

We checked with local hospitals in our area about this procedure. Both Memorial and Erlanger offer this technology. Parkridge says while they don't have doctors who use the radial artery, they do physicians who use a brachial procedure.