Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2026 Jul 20:e016673. doi: 10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.126.016673. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Randomized trials comparing radial and femoral access report access site crossover rates of 3% to 9% for radial access and 1% to 3% for femoral access. However, contemporary real-world crossover rates are not well characterized. The aim was to evaluate contemporary trends and predictors of vascular access site crossover during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
METHODS: We analyzed index PCI procedures recorded in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry from 2018 to 2024. Access site crossover was identified using documented access data, with radial-to-femoral crossover inferred when the final successful access site was femoral. Temporal trends and clinical predictors of crossover were examined. Operator experience was assessed using cumulative total and radial PCI volumes from 2011 to 2024 as captured in CathPCI Registry versions 4 and 5.
RESULTS: Among 3 861 790 index PCIs, 192 902 (5.0%) involved access site crossover, with a modest increase over time. Radial-to-femoral crossover accounted for 81.2% of crossover events. Factors independently associated with crossover included older age, female sex, higher body mass index, and peripheral vascular disease. Operators with the lowest total PCI volume and the lowest radial PCI volume experienced the highest crossover rates. Notably, operators with low radial PCI volume demonstrated a substantial decline in radial-to-femoral crossover over the study period.
CONCLUSIONS: In contemporary clinical practice, access site crossover rates are consistent with those reported in randomized trials. Although crossover occurs more frequently among lower-volume operators, rates decline with increasing operator experience, supporting the presence of a radial access learning curve and improvement in procedural performance over time.
PMID:42473791 | DOI:10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.126.016673