Title: Immediate post deployment sonographic appearance of arteriotomy closure devices
Abstract: 1. Understand the basic mechanisms of commonly available arteriotomy closure devices. 2. Correlate the sonographic appearance of arteriotomy closure devices with their components and mechanism of action. 3. Recognize the normal immediate post deployment sonographic characteristics of commonly used arteriotomy closure devices. Background: Arteriotomy closure devices are commonly used to promote early ambulation and timely discharge of appropriately selected patients undergoing arterial puncture. As ultrasound is commonly utilized for arterial access, it may easily be employed following closure device use to interrogate the artery and arteriotomy closure components. Despite this, there is a relative paucity of information regarding sonoghraphic appearance of arteriotomy closure devices. This education exhibit will attempt of bridge this gap by displaying ultrasound images obtained immediately after closure device deployment. Clinical Findings/Procedure Details: By the virtue of the components that are left behind securing the arterial puncture, certain arteriotomy closure devices are more visible sonographically than others. 1. Nitinol clip deployed by arteriotomy closure device is seen as an echogenic structure in the arterial wall without posterior acoustic shadowing. 2. Polymer anchor and collagen plug deployed by arteriotomy closure device appears as a small area of low echogenicity on ultrasound, in continuity with the arterial wall. 3. Arteriotomy closure devices leaving only a suture behind are difficult to see by ultrasound, unless the patient is thin and a high frequency transducer is utilized. 1. Ultrasound is commonly utilized for arterial access and may easily be employed following closure device use to interrogate the artery and arteriotomy closure components. 2. Ultrasound may be helpful in confirming correct deployment of arteriotomy closure devices, especially the ones which are easier to visualize sonographically due to the nature of the components that are left behind sealing the artery.