Experience of preoperative angiography via transradial approach in the living kidney donors

Renal arterial access for angiography is most commonly gained via the femoral or brachial artery routes, but recently the radial artery route has been used on angiography in peripheral region. Selective renal angiography by the left transradial approach using a 130-cm-long 4F catheter was performed in ten living kidney donors. All 11 renal arteries visualized on angiography were confirmed at surgery. Puncture failed in one patient and subcutaneous hematoma occurred in one patient, but occlusion or stenosis of the radial artery, ischemic hand symptom and so serious complication was not encountered. In conclusion, angiography via the transradial approach for the preoperative evaluation of renal vessels in living kidney donors is consisted to be a valuable alternative to conventional angiography via the transfemoral approach.