Distal radial approach treating a left main lesion during hemostasis of the forearm radial artery on the same side in a case of unstable angina

Conventional radial access (cRA) for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become the current standard due to low bleeding complications, although recently, distal radial access (dRA) has attracted attention as an alternative. Here, the usefulness of dRA is shown in a case in whom neither side could be used for cRA. The patient was a woman in her 70 s diagnosed with unstable angina pectoris at another hospital. Although ad hoc PCI was attempted via her right forearm radial artery, her hemodynamics deteriorated and the procedure was abandoned. After an intra-aortic balloon pumping device was inserted via the left femoral approach and hemostasis was established with a dedicated device, the patient was transferred to our hospital.