Korean Circ J.  2016 Mar;46(2):161-168. 10.4070/kcj.2016.46.2.161.

Numbness after Transradial Cardiac Catheterization: the Results from a Nerve Conduction Study of the Superficial Radial Nerve

• Jang HJ
• Kim JY
• Han JD
• Lee HJ
• Kim JS
• Park JS
• Choi RK
• Choi YJ
• Shim WH
• Kwon SW
• Kim TH

• KMID: 2344467
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2016.46.2.161

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Numbness on the hand occurs infrequently after a transradial cardiac catheterization (TRC). The symptom resembles that of neuropathy. We, therefore, investigated the prevalence, the predicting factors and the presence of neurological abnormalities of numbness, using a nerve conduction study (NCS).
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
From April to December 2013, all patients who underwent a TRC were prospectively enrolled. From among these, the patients who experienced numbness on the ipsilateral hand were instructed to describe their symptoms using a visual analogue scale; subsequently, NCSs were performed on these patients.
RESULTS
Of the total 479 patients in the study sample, numbness occurred in nine (1.8%) following the procedure. The NCS was performed for eight out of the nine patients, four (50%) of which had an abnormal NCS result at the superficial radial nerve. A larger sheath and history of myocardial infarction (p=0.14 and 0.08 respectively) tended towards the occurrence of numbness; however, only the use of size 7 French sheaths was an independent predictor for the occurrence of numbness (odds ratio: 5.50, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-28.58, p=0.042). The symptoms disappeared for all patients but one, within four months.
CONCLUSION
A transient injury of the superficial radial nerve could be one reason for numbness after a TRC. A large sheath size was an independent predictor of numbness; therefore, large sized sheaths should be used with caution when performing a TRC.

Keyword

Cardiac catheterization; Numbness; Superficial radial nerve lesion; Radial neuropathy

MeSH Terms

Cardiac Catheterization*
Cardiac Catheters*
Hand
Humans
Hypesthesia*
Myocardial Infarction
Neural Conduction*
Prevalence
Prospective Studies
Radial Nerve*
Radial Neuropathy

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Changes in the patients' mean and range of symptoms since the initial presentation, with a visual analogue scale (VAS).

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