A new catheter for angioplasty of the right coronary artery and aorto-coronary bypass grafts

Abstract

We have developed a new guiding catheter for angioplasty of the right coronary artery (RCA) and venous bypass grafts (VG). This catheter is easy to manipulate, provides a good „backup”︁, and is unusually helpful in angioplasty of the RCA with a usual as well as a complex course. The catheter is equally successful in angioplasty of bypass grafts. We have used this guiding catheter for angioplasty of the RCA and VG in 27 consecutive cases. In 22 patients (81%), successful dilatation was achieved. Inadequate „backup”︁ was responsible for two of the five unsuccessful angioplasties; therefore, the catheter provided a good „backup”︁ in 25/27 (93%) cases. No major complication occurred in this group of patients.