Published online Sep 28, 2018. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v10.i9.108
Peer-review started: April 27, 2018
First decision: June 14, 2018
Revised: August 6, 2018
Accepted: August 23, 2018
Article in press: August 24, 2018
Published online: September 28, 2018
Processing time: 154 Days and 6.6 Hours
The gold standard method for achieving hemostasis at the femoral arterial puncture site has been manual compression (MC). However, MC has limitations, such as prolonged hemostasis time, patient pain and discomfort, and a requirement for prolonged bed rest. Therefore, various hemostatic devices have been developed to improve the efficacy and safety of percutaneous intravascular treatment and one of those hemostasis devices is ExoSeal.
We have used MC or other compressive devices (such as sand bags or balloon compressive devices) before introducing ExoSeal into our clinical practice. When we first started to use ExoSeal, we began studying the cases in which it was applied.
To report the experience of closure of the femoral artery using ExoSeal vascular closure devices (VCDs) over a 17-mo period.
We evaluated the technical and procedural success rates, complications, and factors affecting the hemostasis time of the ExoSeal VCDs.
Technical and procedural successes were achieved in 176 cases (98.0%) and 128 cases (71.5%), respectively. In one case (0.6%), a small hematoma developed, but there were no major complications. A history of drinking alcohol, low platelet (PLT) count, and high prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) values were the statistically significant predictors of the need for longer MC.
The ExoSeal VCD is a simple, safe and effective device for hemostasis of femoral punctures. In addition, the ExoSeal VCD is an instrument that effectively achieves hemostasis with few complications, even when used repeatedly in the same patient. However, longer light MC may be needed in patients with a history of drinking alcohol, low PLT count, and high PT-INR values.
Based on this and other studies, ExoSeal is expected to improve further and other similar VCDs will be developed.