Left Radial Support Sling

Coronary angiography is carried out to assess the patency of the vessels which supply the heart muscle with blood. This is achieved by inserting a catheter into the cardiovascular system and locating it in the coronary arteries feeding the heart. When the catheter is in the correct position, contrast agent is injected into the blood vessels to enable coronary blood flow to be visualised under X-ray fluoroscopy. This procedure can be prolonged and as a result, the comfort of the patient is an important issue.

To carry out the procedure, the catheter can be inserted into either a femoral or a radial artery. Recent evidence suggests however, that radial access should be used in preference to femoral access as it is less painful for the patient, and requires a shorter recovery time, with the patient being less likely to require a bed overnight. Despite this, difficulties are experienced since the configuration of many angiography theatres is such that the surgeon stands on the side of the patient, which makes left radial access uncomfortable for the surgeon and the patient.

During coronary angiography, the decision between radial and femoral access can impact upon the comfort and recovery time of the patient. This decision can be influenced by the difficulty with leaning across the patient to access the radial artery.

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  • Accessing the left radial artery is difficult for the surgeon and they must lean across the patient during the procedure
  • An uncomfortable position often results in the surgeon using a femoral approach rather than the preferred radial approach, even though a femoral approach can increase the time in hospital for the patient, increasing the cost of bed occupancy

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A Left Radial Support Sling was developed by Sue Best, a Senior Radiologist at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in conjunction with Amdel Medical Limited. The Sling, which supports the patient’s left arm in a position across their body, is disposable and easy to use. It enables the surgeon to undertake a left radial approach without leaning across the patient. The Sling complies with hospital infection control regulations and is available through Amdel Medical Limited.  It has already been adopted in many NHS Trusts in the UK.

NHS Innovations North, in conjunction with the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria, provided support with the following:

  • Concept and product development
  • Market intelligence to assist with sale and marketing strategy, identification of a commercial partner, and licence negotiation
  • Intellectual property protection