BACKGROUND: Activated clotting time (ACT) can be used for early arterial sheath removal after femoral-approach percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study compared the time for arterial sheath removal, with and without ACT guidance, and bed rest after PCI. METHODS: Randomized clinical trial including 78 patients submitted to elective PCI, allocated for ACT-guided (group 1) and non-ACT-guided (group 2) arterial sheath removal. In group 1, the sheath was removed when ACT was < 180 seconds. After removal of the arterial sheath, patients remained at bed rest for 6 hours in both groups. RESULTS: Mean age was 60 ± 9 years and 57% of the patients were men. Groups were similar for clinical characteristics, coronary lesion complexity, arterial sheath caliber, number and type of stents used, drugs used and success rates. The time for arterial sheath removal (95 ± 35 minutes vs. 240 ± 16 minutes; P < 0.01) and bed rest (454 ± 33 minutes vs. 600 ± 12 minutes; P < 0.01) were significantly lower in group 1. CONCLUSIONS: Arterial sheath removal guided by ACT in patients undergoing PCI was performed earlier and allowed a reduction of the overall time of bed rest when compared to the institutional standard procedure.
Angioplasty; Stents; Femoral artery; Blood coagulation
