Hemostatic devices are used to stop bleeding from a blood vessel, usually after a medical procedure has opened an artery. During cardiac catheterization, balloon angioplasty or catheter-based procedures, the physician often inserts the catheter through the femoral artery in the patient’s groin. The physician may also use the arteries in the arm, such as the radial or brachial artery.

After the procedure is complete and the catheter has been removed, the bleeding from the femoral artery must be stopped. Traditionally, this involved applying pressure to the wound with fingers for 15 minutes followed by four to six hours of applying pressure (usually with sandbags) directly to the wound. During this time, the patient was forced to remain flat on his or her back, which could cause back pain and other discomfort.

Hemostatic devices were developed to speed recovery time by stopping the femoral artery bleeding more rapidly. There are several types of hemostatic devices. Some administer a substance such as collagen that speeds the body’s natural clotting process and stops the bleeding. Others involve a single stitch in the femoral artery, closing the incision site to stop bleeding. Still others are compression devices that apply pressure consistently.

Some patients may not be appropriate candidates for hemostatic devices. The risk of complications associated with catheter-based procedures remains low, whether or not the hemostatic devices are used.