Vascular access in complex coronary angioplasty procedures carries a certain risk of complications, such as bleeding or vascular damage. This dissertation investigated how to reduce that risk. By using the radial artery (in the wrist) instead of the femoral artery (in the groin) for these procedures, even with larger diameter access sheaths, the risk of complications can be drastically reduced. The use of ultrasound for femoral access does not significantly reduce serious complications but does increase the likelihood of successful puncture on the first attempt, without negatively affecting the duration of the procedure. Additionally, all evidence related to vascular access in the treatment of chronically occluded coronary arteries has been reviewed, and the effect of larger diameter sheaths on the occurrence of arm and leg complaints after complex coronary angioplasty procedures has been examined.
Tom Meijers (1984) is an interventional cardiologist. He studied medicine at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and earned his Master’s degree in 2011. After completing his cardiology training, he completed a fellowship in interventional cardiology in Zwolle, where he joined the cardiology partnership in June 2024. His PhD trajectory largely ran largely parallel to his fellowship.