Radial vs femoral access: wrist or groin?

Radial access means the catheter goes in through the radial artery at the wrist. Femoral access means it goes in through the femoral artery at the groin. In a randomized trial of 153 people having uterine artery embolization, the procedure worked with both, and wrist access was faster with less radiation¹.

A plain-language definition from the ProcedurePath glossary.

Written and reviewed by Varun Danda, MD, interventional radiology resident physician · Last reviewed October 25, 2026

How they compared

In that trial, the procedure took about 32 minutes with wrist access and 39 minutes with groin access. Major problems were 0% and 2.7%, and minor problems 11.5% and 17.3%, differences too small to be sure of. People with fibroids rated their quality of life around the procedure better with wrist access¹.

Which is right for you

The choice depends on your arteries, the procedure and your doctor’s experience.

Questions to ask

Will you go in through my wrist or my groin?
How long will I need to lie still afterward?
What should I watch for at the puncture site?

Read more: What is interventional radiology?

Common question

Is wrist access safer than groin access for UFE?

In one randomized trial, major and minor problems were similar with both, and wrist access was faster with less radiation¹.

Talk with your doctor before you decide. This information does not replace personal medical advice. Read the medical disclaimer.

Sources

Randomized comparison of transradial and transfemoral access in uterine artery embolization, Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology 2021 (PMID 33290238) ↩︎