helen moore,

Thanks for your question.

Sorry to hear about your problems after your catheterization.  Unfortunately, hematoma and pseudoaneurysm are risks of this procedure, as well as bleeding.  Depending on the size of the hematoma this could take days to weeks to resolve.  Pseudoaneurysm can be tricky, sometime requiring surgical correction or newer techniques more frequently used in the femoral artery (groin) after catheterization.  One technique is to use ultrasound guided compression of the aneurysm which eliminated the aneurysm sac.  For the most part, this has been replaced by the injection of thrombin ( a clot promoting drug) slowly into the aneurysm sac under ultrasound guidance.  As I said, these procedures are used more commonly in the groin, but the literature now indicated these last two procedures are also being performed on the brachial artery.  If this is not being done at your hospital, Check with a major center (University and/or teaching hospital).  These procedures have a high success rated if done by the right person.  Surgical correction is also very successful, but requires surgery and some psot-operative discomfort.

Discuss this with the cardiologist that performed the procedure.

Best wishes and feel better.

Martin Cane, M.D.