Why transfemoral route is used for cerebral angiography?

Cerebral angiography can be done through various routes

• Transfemoral – most common
• trans axillary – rarely used
• trans carotid – rarely used

Why direct puncture of carotid artery is not used?

• Any local complications like hematoma and pseudoaneurysm may be life threatening
• Atherosclerotic plaques in the cartoid may dislodge during wall puncture and cause stroke

Why is the axillary artery not used?

• Difficult to approach
• Difficult to manouvre the catheter into the carotid artery

Why is transfemoral route preferred?

• Easy and fast access
• Even if local complication arise, they are not life threatening