A new website has been launched considering the increasing demand for transradial education in the U.S.
Terumo Medical has launched Transradial University considering the growing training and information needs of physicians and other medical professionals interested in expanding their use of transradial access.
It is being highlighted that there are both clinical and economic factors driving transradial interest, but “the demand is outstripping the availability of educational options”.
The site offers on-demand informational modules intended to provide physicians an introduction to various aspects of transradial cases. The interactive site features articles, FAQs and video library.
For its part, Terumo has collaborated with leading transradialists to identify “best practices” and to obtain their input to the site’s content.
Transradial access uses the arteries of the wrist, rather than the groin, to gain access to the heart.
In the U.S., transradial access accounts for an estimated 3-5% of cases, where femoral access (through the groin) has been the default strategy. The primary reason for this is physician training and habit. But, femoral access also has identified drawbacks, which have become more evident recently. The nagging, unaddressed problem of access site bleeding and other similar complications associated with the femoral approach, combined with more aggressive anti-platelet medications which can increase the risk for bleeding, has been a key driver for physician interest in transradial access.
Not only transradial access has shown the potential to reduce these complications, but it also promises to reduce overall costs by increasing the number of outpatient diagnostic and angioplasty procedures, eliminate costs associated with extended stays and hospital re-admissions, and increase patient satisfaction.
