Validation of an early ambulation protocol after transfemoral cerebral angiography: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Access-site complications constitute a substantial portion of the morbidity associated with transfemoral cerebral angiography, yet no standardized protocol exists about early ambulation for patients after digital subtraction angiography and practice patterns vary widely. The objective of this study was to validate the efficacy and safety of early ambulation protocol for transfemoral cerebral angiography patients.

Methods: A prospective, two-arm, single-blinded, parallel group, randomized controlled trial was designed enrolling patients undergoing transfemoral cerebral angiography from April, 2023 to February, 2024. The data of demographic and complications, comfort, pain, sleep after digital subtraction angiography were collected and analyzed.

Results: A total of 371 patients were enrolled in this study, 190 patients in intervention group,181 patients in control group. 14 patients (3.77%, 2.11%VS5.52%, p=0.104) met the oozing, 9 patients (2.43%, 1.58%VS3.31%, p=0.327) met the palpable hematoma over the femoral artery. In all cases, there was no further oozing or enlarging hematoma. 15 patients (4.04%, 3.16%VS4.97%, p=0.436) indwelling urinary catheter, 49 patients (13.21%, 12.63%VS13.81%, p=0.761) met difficulty excretion after femoral artery puncture. There was no statistically significant difference in all complications between the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference in comfort score (95.41±10.38 VS 94.13±10.84, p=0.247), pain score (1.35±2.40VS 1.25±2.18, p=0.696) and sleep score (4.04±4.20 VS 3.78±4.26, p=0.566) between the two groups.

Conclusions: Transfemoral cerebral angiography is a common procedure with no clear consensus regarding the early activities. Our results show that early ambulation protocol will not increase the postoperative complications of patients, the score of comfort increased, although no statistically significant.