Day-case transradial coronary intervention – the future face of PCI in the UK

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is one of the mainstays in the treatment of coronary artery disease. Although the recent BCIS audit data indicate an improvement in the rate of PCI in the UK, it lags well behind the intervention rate in other European countries. The National Service Framework (NSF) for Coronary Heart Disease recommends an increase in the PCI rates to more than 750 per million population in order to achieve a target waiting time of three months. 1 To achieve this goal a major change in infrastructure is needed, with the opening of more interventional centres and the training and appointment of more interventional cardiologists. Within the current infrastructure and in a shorter time scale the targets may be met by performing more PCI through day-case work. The cardiologists directly control the day-case beds without any interference from the other medical specialities. Following the availability of modern low-profile stent technology and safer pre-treatment with oral antiplatelet agents, day-case intervention is a feasible option. 2 The RADICAL study A well-staffed day-case unit with an experienced senior sister and a pre-admission clinic has shown promising results in our unit at Blackpool for the management of day-case PCI through the radial route (Radial Approach for Day-case Intervention in Coronary Artery Lesions, the RADICAL study). Stable patients on the waiting list for PCI Table 1. The current status and future directions of day-case radial PCI PCI through the radial route is known to be safe, effective, economical and patient-friendly. In a pilot study we are evaluating its safety and efficacy in the day-case setting in selected patients with stable angina We believe that more day-case PCI will be the only way forward to achieve the NSF target rates for coronary revascularisation discharge of the patient. Following the procedure we take the sheath out immediately and apply a RADI Stop in the catheter lab.