A team of doctors at Fortis Vasant Kunj has adopted a novel technique of performing angiographies via the thumb artery to make it more patient-friendly.

Traditionally, angiographies are performed through the wrist or groin. However, the team has performed finger angiographies on as many as 51 patients, the hospital said in a statement on September 26. "The benefit of choosing this route over traditional procedures is that it is less time consuming and painful and patient-friendly," said Tapan Ghose, Director and Head, Cardiology at Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj.

"The recovery is faster, there is no loss of radial pulse, bleeding is negligible, zero per cent chances of blood transfusion," Ghose added. A 47-year-old patient named D.S. Mathuria, who had been experiencing angina -- chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart -- for the last 3 months, was treated successfully.

"The procedure and medication involved in performing angiographies, whether it is through the wrist, groin or finger, is the same. When it is performed through the finger, it is known as 'Left Distal Radial Angiography' or 'the anatomical snuff box approach'," Ghose said.