Related Experiment Videos

Modified Judkins catheters for selective coronary angiography in infants and young children

F Berdjis1, D J Mahon

  • 1Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange County, California 92688, USA.

Insights

Modified 4 Fr Judkins catheters with shorter tips effectively enable selective coronary angiography in infants and children. These specialized catheters offer efficient cannulation and reduced fluoroscopy times for pediatric cardiac procedures.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Medical Device Engineering

Background:

  • Selective coronary angiography is crucial for diagnosing pediatric heart conditions.
  • Traditional Judkins catheters may present challenges in pediatric anatomy.
  • Modified catheter tips are being explored to improve procedural success in young patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 4 Fr Judkins catheters with modified shorter tips.
  • To assess the suitability of these catheters for selective coronary angiography in infants and young children.
  • To determine optimal catheter selection based on patient size.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 20 pediatric patients (6 weeks to 3.8 years).
  • Performance assessment of modified 4 Fr Judkins catheters (JR and JL) with 1.5-cm and 2.5-cm curves.
  • Evaluation of cannulation success rates, procedure times, and fluoroscopy times.

Main Results:

  • Successful cannulation of 36 out of 37 coronary arteries.
  • Median procedure times: 95 seconds (right), 50 seconds (left).
  • Median fluoroscopy times: 1.1 minutes (right), 0.7 minutes (left).
  • JL 1.5 cm suitable for patients <75 cm; JR 1.5 cm for patients up to 85 cm; 2.5 cm curves for taller patients.

Conclusions:

  • Modified 4 Fr Judkins catheters are effective for pediatric selective coronary angiography.
  • Catheter curve selection should be tailored to patient height for optimal outcomes.
  • These devices represent a valuable advancement in pediatric cardiac interventional tools.

Related Concept Videos