Ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block for retrieval of an entrapped radial artery catheter during primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Transradial access is widely used for percutaneous coronary intervention because it reduces bleeding complications and speeds recovery. Severe radial artery spasm, however, can entrap catheters or sheaths, and forceful extraction may cause major vascular injury. This report describes the atraumatic removal of an entrapped radial artery sheath assited by ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block during primary percutaneous coronary intervention.