Treatment of iatrogenic femoral artery false aneurysms with ultrasound-guided thrombin injection

Prospective randomized study comparing ultrasound-guided thrombin injection to compression in the treatment of femoral pseudoaneurysms

PURPOSE

To compare in a randomized prospective study the treatment of femoral pseudoaneurysms with ultrasound-guided thrombin injection versus ultrasound-guided compression.

METHODS

Thirty consecutive patients (22 men; mean age 67+/-8 years, range 53-82) with iatrogenic femoral pseudoaneurysms were randomized to treatment with either ultrasound-guided compression (n=15) or injection of bovine thrombin (n=15). The primary outcome measure was thrombosis of the pseudoaneurysm within 24 hours. Secondary outcome measures were complications and hospitalization time (LOS).

RESULTS

Thrombosis within 24 hours was achieved in 15 (100%) patients given thrombin versus 2 (13%) in the compression group (p<0.001). Of 13 pseudoaneurysms failing the initial compression treatment, 7 were retreated, 4 successfully. Thus, only 6 (40%) lesions were thrombosed within 48 hours after 1 or 2 compression sessions. The other 9 cases were successfully treated with thrombin injection. LOS was 2.8+/-1.5 days and 3.5+/-2.4 days in the thrombin and compression groups, respectively (p>0.05). No complications were noted in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection induces a fast, effective, and safe thrombosis of postcatheterization pseudoaneurysms. The technique is clearly superior to compression treatment and is recommended as the therapy of choice.