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Direct vs. Seldinger Technique for Ultrasound-Guided Difficult Radial Access in Cardiac Surgery

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Ultrasound-Guided Direct and Seldinger Cannulation Techniques in Patients With Anticipated Difficult Radial Artery Cannulation Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07400627
Enrollment
242
Registered
2026-02-10
Start date
2026-03-01
Completion date
2026-09-30
Last updated
2026-02-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Arterial Cannulation, Cardiac Surgery, Cardiac Surgery in Adult Patient, Radial Artery Cannulation, Radial Artery Catheterization

Keywords

difficult radial artery cannulation, direct technique for radial artery cannulation, Seldinger technique for radial artery cannulation

Brief summary

Radial artery cannulation is a routine procedure for invasive hemodynamic monitoring for patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery patients. Although ultrasound (USG) guidance is known to improve success rates, there is limited data comparing the efficacy of the 'Direct' versus 'Seldinger' techniques specifically in patients with anticipated difficult radial access. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of USG-guided Direct cannulation and USG-guided Seldinger techniques in adult patients with anticipated difficult radial arterial cannulation.

Detailed description

Study Protocol and Patient Assessment: Data collection and the procedural intervention will be performed in the preoperative period, prior to the induction of anesthesia. All patients will undergo a modified Allen test. The radial artery site will be selected based on the following hierarchy: preferably the non-dominant hand (unless surgical plan dictates otherwise), an arm with no history of coronary angiography, and the side determined to be easiest for cannulation via ultrasound (USG) assessment. Ultrasound Assessment and Exclusion: A 12 MHz linear ultrasound probe will be used for all assessments and procedures. Before the intervention, a detailed sonographic evaluation of the radial artery will be recorded, including: * Artery diameter and wall thickness * Lumen continuity and flow velocity * Presence of calcification, vessel irregularity, or tortuosity * Stenosis (percentage) and plaque characterization (stable/unstable; fibrous/fatty) * Presence of hematoma, posterior wall injury, or dissection * Skin- mid radial artery distance Patients with significant stenosis where an appropriate arterial segment matching the cannula diameter and length cannot be identified will be excluded from the study, and cannulation will be performed at an alternative site. Randomization and Positioning: Patients will be randomized into two groups using a computer-generated random number table: * Group D (Direct): Cannulation performed using the catheter-over-needle technique. * Group S (Seldinger): Cannulation performed using the catheter-over-guide-wire technique. The patient's arm will be abducted, and the wrist will be extended and fixed over a small support. Standard aseptic preparation and draping will be performed. Procedural Definitions and Outcome Measures: The procedure will be performed under real-time ultrasound guidance. The following time intervals and metrics will be recorded: * Radial artery cannulation time: Defined as the time elapsed from the initial skin contact of the needle/cannula to the appearance of the radial artery pressure waveform * Radial artery puncture time: Defined as the time elapsed from the initial skin contact of the needle/cannula to the appearance of blood in the hub Number of puncture: The total number of skin punctures required to achieve successful cannulation. Number of needle maneuvers: The total number of needle advancements towards the artery Safety and Follow-up: If arterial cannulation fails, manual compression will be applied to the artery for 5 minutes to prevent hematoma formation. All patients will be monitored for complications (such as hematoma, ischemia, or nerve injury) for 24 hours post-procedure.

Interventions

PROCEDUREUltrasound-Guided Direct Cannulation Technique

Radial artery cannulation performed using the direct puncture technique (catheter-over-needle) under real-time ultrasound guidance.

PROCEDUREUltrasound-Guided Seldinger Cannulation Technique

Radial artery cannulation performed using the Seldinger technique (catheter-over-guide-wire) under real-time ultrasound guidance.

Sponsors

Diskapi Teaching and Research Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE

Intervention model description

Prospective randomised

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients aged 18 years or older * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-IV * Patients scheduled for cardiovascular surgery requiring invasive arterial monitoring

Exclusion criteria

* Patients undergoing emergency surgery * Coagulation disorders or known coagulopathy * Presence of an arteriovenous fistula * Patients in shock or hemodynamically instable * Patients requiring mechanical circulatory support * History of Raynaud's phenomenon * Refusal to participate in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
First-Attempt Cannulation Success Rate10 min before anesthesia inductionThe proportion of patients in whom radial artery cannulation is successfully performed (verified by the appearance of the arterial pressure waveform on the monitor) with a single skin puncture

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Cannulation Attempts10 min before anesthesia inductionThe total number of skin punctures required to achieve successful radial artery cannulation
Radial artery cannulation time10 min before anesthesia inductionTotal time elapsed from the initial skin contact with the arterial cannula to the visualization of the arterial waveform on the monitor.
Incidence of Procedure-Related ComplicationsPostoperative 24th hourEvaluation of adverse events associated with the cannulation procedure, including hematoma, arterial dissection, posterior wall injury, nerve injury, or infection

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Contacts

CONTACTDilek ÜNAL, Professor
dilekunalmd@gmail.com+905336957855
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORDilek ÜNAL

Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 11, 2026