Highlights the advantages of the transatrial septal approach for left heart catheterization while noting the potential for complications.
DURING the last decade several different technics for catheterization of the left side of the heart have been described.1 , 2 The most recent, which utilizes a percutaneous femoral puncture and transatrial septal approach to the left atrium,3 , 4 has been widely accepted and utilized.5 The major advantages are that the patient can be studied in the supine position, that the entry into the left atrium is painless, that the procedure leaves the patient free to exercise and that the catheter can be left in place for protracted periods. As with all approaches to the left atrium, however, complications have been reported.6 7 8 This . . .
Susmano et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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