Arterial Puncture

Abstract

A total of 160 arterial punctures performed with No. 1 and No. 12 needles are reviewed. No serious sequelae were encountered. Bruising and haematoma formation were the commonest complications. Conscious patients experienced transient discomfort during the procedure but no patient refused a second puncture. One patient experienced transient paraesthesia with digital compression of the radial artery, and in another patient spasm of the brachial artery after puncture was successfully treated with locally injected procaine. We feel that arterial puncture may safely be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The decision to use any technique for research in patients for whom it is not required for diagnosis or treatment presents an ethical problem. © 1966, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.