Cannulations of the radial vein and femoral artery were performed for delivering drugs and monitoring blood pressure, respectively.
Femoral artery occlusion, complete in 3 and partial in 2, was observed but all had excellent collateral flow.
Ten pts (10/83 [12%]) developed complete occlusion of the affected femoral artery, and a further six (7%) partial occlusion.
Cardiac catheterization from the right femoral artery was inconclusive, as the pigtail catheter could not be maneuvered into the ascending aorta.
Two puppies died, one from bleeding from the femoral artery and the other from thrombotic obstruction at the superior mesenteric artery, both after successful implantation.
Six patients (three less than one year of age) developed early occlusion of the femoral artery, with three responding well to infusion of streptokinase.
Physical examination revealed tachypnea, tachycardia, gallop rhythm, systolic murmur maximum at the right upper sternal border, and barely felt bilateral femoral pulses.
With clinical examination alone, the test is positive if the infant has visible cyanosis, a cardiac murmur, or diminished femoral pulses.
