Cost-effectiveness of the Radial Versus Femoral Artery Approach to Diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization

Background: The radial approach to cardiac catheterization is increasingly popular due to shorter procedural and recovery times and greater patient comfort.

Methods: Comparative cost analysis between radial or femoral (with or without closure device) approaches were performed.

Results: Radial (R), femoral (F), and femoral with a closure device (F +/- C) approaches were used in 70, 62 and 49 consecutive cases, respectively. Group R had higher access equipment cost (93.0 dollars +/- 9.5 vs. 40.5 dollars) in group F (p < 0.001), but lower catheter cost (19.7 dollars +/- 12.7 vs. 31.1 dollars +/- 9.3; p < 0.001) than Group F, and lower contrast cost (26.9 dollars +/- 17.0 vs. 42.9 dollars +/- 25.0) in Group F +/- C (p < 0.001). There was a lower postprocedure recovery cost (185.2 dollars +/- 52.7) in Group R compared to 337.5 dollars +/- 59.0 in Group F (p < 0.001) and 208 dollars +/- 70.4 in Group F +/- C (p < 0.001), with a median recovery time of 126.0 +/- 36.0 minutes in group R vs. 240.0 +/- 42.0 minutes, and 150.0 +/- 48.0 minutes in groups F and F +/- C, respectively (both p < 0.05). The total variable procedural cost, which includes approach-dependent equipment and recovery room stay, was significantly lower in the Radial group than in the Femoral group (369.5 dollars +/- 74.6 vs. 446.9 dollars +/- 60.2 and 553.4 dollars +/- 81.0; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The radial artery approach to diagnostic cardiac catheterization is clearly more cost effective than the femoral approach, with or without the use of a femoral closure device.