Five French versus eight French catheters and the Judkins technique - Advantages and limitations for studying coronary artery disease

In order to compare 5 French versus 8 French catheters for assessing ischemic heart disease, we prospectively studied 2 groups of 100 patients each, one with 5 French (group I) and the other with 8 French (group II) catheters by the Judkins technique. Significant differences were found in the greater easiness to catheterize LV (p<0.05) and LCA (p=0.01) in group II and in better quality image for LCA in group II (p<0.05), although all patients in both groups had acceptable image quality. Pressure curves quality was better in group II (p<0.01); X-ray exposure time was longer in group I (p<0.001) and arterial compression time in group II (p<0.0001). Group I showed 3 and group II 10 mild hematomas (p<0.05). The procedure could be completed by the elected first artery and type of catheter in 95 patients in group I and in 96 in group II. Thus, the Judkins technique with 5 French catheters is as valid as with 8 French for assessing ischemic patients, reducing arterial morbidity, although mildly increasing technical difficulty and mildly decreasing quality image. © 1988 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.