Percutaneous coronary interventions via the radial approach—Mandatory or elective in the current circumstances—A Polish perspective

A crucial progress in reduction of mortality and improvement of quality of life in patients with either Stable Angina (SA) or Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) has been made by introduction of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) in daily treatment. Possibly we are witnessing another giant leap in invasive cardiology by the use of radial instead of traditional femoral approach. Radial route which was firstly introduced in diagnostic of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) by Dr. Campeau in 1989 reduces the risk of bleedings and subsequently overall mortality in patients with AMI, especially when used by experienced and skilled operators. We present a critical review of data comparing radial to femoral approach seen from the Polish perspective hoping it could be useful for invasive and non-invasive cardiologists in their everyday practice.