Vascular complications in patients who underwent endovascular cardiac procedures: multicenter cohort study

OBJECTIVE: to analyze vascular complications among patients who underwent endovascular cardiac procedures in the hemodynamic laboratories of three referral centers. METHOD: a multicenter cohort study was conducted in three referral facilities. The sample was composed of 2,696 adult patients who had undergone elective or urgent percutaneous cardiac procedures. The outcomes were vascular complications, such as: hematoma at the site of the arterial puncture; major or minor bleeding; surgical correction for retroperitoneal hemorrhage; pseudoaneurysm; and arteriovenous fistula. RESULTS: 237 (8.8%) of the 2,696 patients presented a vascular complication at the site of the arterial puncture. The total number of vascular complications was 264: minor hematoma<10cm (n=135); stable bleeding (n=86); major hematoma ≥10cm (n=32); and unstable bleeding (n=11). There were no retroperitoneal hematoma events, pseudoaneurysm or arterial venous fistula. Most of the major and minor complications occurred in the first six hours after the procedure. CONCLUSION: the results concerning the current context of interventional cardiology indicate that the complications predominantly occur in the first six hours after the procedure, considering a 48-hour follow-up. The staff should plan and implement preventive measures immediately after the procedures.