Safety of coronary arteriography.

The mortality and morbidity of coronary arteriography are presented with particular reference to the relative safety of the Sones as compared with the Judkins technique. There were 6 deaths in 400 investigations (i *5%), and all occurred with the3Judkins technique. The morbidity is analysedfor the last 250 investigations; cardiac infarction and serious dysrhythmias were more common with the Judkins technique whereas weak or absent pulses were more common with the Sones technique. Our present policy is therefore to prefer the Sones technique, even though we find it more difficult, and to reserve the Judkins technique for some emergency investigations.