The pulse monitor. An important safeguard in angiography and arterial catheterization

THE DEVELOPMENT of simple percutaneous arteriographic catheterization techniques, the synthesis of safer contrast media, the ready availability of good angiographic roentgenographic equipment, and the increasingly large number of surgeons with training in vascular surgery have created a situation in which most large hospitals are now expected to have an efficient angiographic department. There has been a resultant marked increase in the utilization of arteriographic procedures throughout the country despite the fact that at present relatively few physicians are thoroughly grounded in all aspects of angiography. Recent large reviews of catheter aortographic procedures1-4,5showed that, while mortality was very low, there was a significant number of serious nonfatal complications at the site of catheter insertion, such as massive hematomas, uncontrolled bleeding, arterial thromboses, and subintimal dissections, some of which led to permanent disability. The incidence of major arterial thrombosis is usually less than 1% but can be as high as