RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Recent advances of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and transradial coronary intervention (TRI) have made it possible to reduce the local complication rate and the time until a return to ambulation. The aim of this study is to assess the safety and the patient satisfaction of the TRI-based one-day admission program for PCI. METHODS: Total 230 consecutive patients underwent TRI on the day of admission, according to pre-determined inclusion criteria, from May 2001 to October 2003. The subjects were examined for clinical and angiographic characteristics. The patients having a same-day discharge were telephone-interviewed one day and seven days after discharge to assess late complications and the patients' satisfaction. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 59+/-9 years and 77.4% were male patients. 169 (73.4%) had stable angina and 37 (16.1%) had unstable angina. Stents were implanted in 178 cases (69.3%). Of the 230 patients who underwent TRI, 206 patients (89.6%) could discharge on the same day after the procedure. The procedure was successful in 98.5%. The average hospital stay for them was 9.4+/-1.4 hours. Two subjects reported hematoma near the puncture site within 24 hours after discharge, and one reported this problem 7 days after discharge. During the follow-up, there were no cases reporting chest pain needing rehospitalization or such complications as subacute vessel closure. No deaths, myocardial infarctions or revascularization were noted during the follow-up period. The majority of the patients (n=197, 95.6%) were satisfied with the same-day admission and discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Same day admission and discharge after TRI seems to be safe as well as satisfactory for not low-risk patients.