Radial access for coronary angiography and intervention: past, present and future

Coronary angiography and intervention are commonly used minimally invasive examinations and operations for coronary artery diseases. The radial access is currently the most commonly used operational approach for coronary angiography and intervention both domestically and internationally. This access has gradually developed since its inception, and with the continuous updating of evidence, it has been widely recognized as a routine access. Meanwhile, sufficient evidence also suggests that the radial access can be competent for intervention of complex and high-risk coronary artery lesions. Transradial coronary angiography and intervention started relatively late and developed rapidly in China, with a high prevalence now. Chinese coronary intervention guideline recommended the radial access as the preferred operational access earlier than Europe and the United States. Although there are some objective limitations to the radial access, with the advancement of instruments and the improvement of interventional physicians' technique, coronary angiography and intervention through the distal radial artery are also constantly being carried out. In addition, the application of radial access in peripheral artery intervention and neural intervention is also being explored.