Background: Complications to femoral artery puncture may result in formation of a pseudoaneurysm
(PSA). We investigated whether PSA obliteration may be achieved by compression
dressing repair (CDR) and sought to determine the predictors of successful CDR.
Methods: Sixty two patients (30 male, mean age 61.0 ± 12.8) with femoral PSAs due to
cardiac catheterization were included in the study. In all patients, duplex ultrasound followed
by CDR was performed to evaluate PSA morphology and flow velocities in the PSA neck.
Results: Forty six (74.2%) patients did not respond to CDR. Predictors of successful CDR
were forward [0.18 (0.07-0.47), p = 0.0004] and reverse [0.08 (0.02-0.33), p = 0.0006] flow
velocities in the PSA neck. The forward velocity was identified as an independent predictor of
CDR outcome (p = 0.02).
Conclusions: Compression dressing repair may serve as an alternative method of femoral
pseudoaneurysm management in patients with low forward and reverse velocities of the flow
in pseudoaneurysm neck. The forward velocity is an independent predictor of compression
dressing repair result. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 2: 179-183
