Single center experience of internal jugular vein as alternative access for implantation of a wireless pulmonary artery pressure sensor

Abstract This single-center study delves into the novel use of the internal jugular vein (IJ) as an alternative access pathway for the implantation of the CardioMEMS device, a wireless pulmonary artery pressure sensor. This approach is compared to the conventional femoral vein access in terms of procedural times, contrast volume, and patient outcomes. The study spans five years, from 2018 to 2023, evaluating the efficacy and safety of IJ access for CardioMEMS implantation. The analysis revealed a tendency towards shorter procedural times and reduced contrast volume with IJ access, although statistical significance was not reached due to the small sample size. Notably, IJ access provided a quicker needle-to-door time, suggesting benefits such as improved patient throughput and potentially shorter hospital stays, which are pivotal in a healthcare landscape that prioritizes efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In conclusion, this investigation offers initial evidence that IJ vein access is a feasible and potentially superior alternative for CardioMEMS device implantation. While the findings are preliminary due to the study's limited scale, they pave the way for future larger-scale, multicenter studies. Such research could confirm the benefits of IJ access and possibly influence clinical practices, enhancing the management of heart failure patients.