Hand Dysfunction After Intervention via Distal Versus Conventional Transradial Access: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Trials

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is an important treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD). Distal transradial access (dTRA) has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional transradial access (TRA) in cardiovascular interventional procedures. However, some patients may experience hand dysfunction after undergoing TRA or dTRA procedures. METHODS: In this study, the literature from the PubMed and Web of Science (WOS) databases was reviewed and 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected. Meta-analysis and narrative synthesis were used to evaluate the hand dysfunction and vascular complications. RESULT: A total of 6903 participants were included in the study. The average age was 62.8 years, and 66.9% were male. In terms of hand motor dysfunction, pooled data from two trials showed that the risk of dTRA may be lower than that of TRA. In terms of hand sensory dysfunction, a pooled analysis of two studies showed that the incidence of numbness within 24 h postoperatively may be higher with dTRA than with TRA, but the incidence of persistent pain may be lower with dTRA than with TRA. Only one included study reported the incidence of nerve injury. Additionally, a pooled analysis of ten trials demonstrated that dTRA had a lower risk of radial artery occlusion (RAO) than TRA. CONCLUSION: Compared with TRA, dTRA may be associated with a lower risk of hand clumsiness, persistent pain, RAO, and AVF, but a potentially higher incidence of hand numbness.