To create a new scoring system for femoral pseudoaneurysm (FPA) formation after diagnostic or interventional cardiac catheterization. Materials and methods: We evaluated 41,322 transfemoral catheterization procedures performed in our center within 7 years. Among all procedures, 630 FPAs developed that required surgical repair. Eighty-five cases were managed by compression with duplex guidance. As a case-control group, 1260 patients were selected from the patients who had been catheterized during the same time period but did not develop FPA. We created the risk scoring system according to body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, catheter diameter, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, and number of patients treated per day in a particular room. Results: FPA required operative repair in 1.1% of patients who underwent cardiac catheterization for diagnosis and in 4.7% of cardiac interventional procedures. We determined that if the risk score is greater than 15, the probability of formation of a FPA is 7 times greater than normal. Conclusion: This study confirms that FPA is a morbid situation, and high risk scores are important because FPA formation is 7 times greater than normal. This novel method of calculating risk score allows for the stratification of patients into 4 levels of risk.

To create a new scoring system for femoral pseudoaneurysm (FPA) formation after diagnostic or interventional cardiac catheterization. Materials and methods: We evaluated 41,322 transfemoral catheterization procedures performed in our center within 7 years. Among all procedures, 630 FPAs developed that required surgical repair. Eighty-five cases were managed by compression with duplex guidance. As a case-control group, 1260 patients were selected from the patients who had been catheterized during the same time period but did not develop FPA. We created the risk scoring system according to body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, catheter diameter, coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, and number of patients treated per day in a particular room. Results: FPA required operative repair in 1.1% of patients who underwent cardiac catheterization for diagnosis and in 4.7% of cardiac interventional procedures. We determined that if the risk score is greater than 15, the probability of formation of a FPA is 7 times greater than normal. Conclusion: This study confirms that FPA is a morbid situation, and high risk scores are important because FPA formation is 7 times greater than normal. This novel method of calculating risk score allows for the stratification of patients into 4 levels of risk.