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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Magnetically-Assisted Remote Controlled Microcatheter Tip Deflection under Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: April 4, 2013
A "grapple hook" technique using a deflectable tip catheter to facilitate complex proximal circumflex interventions
Edward McNulty1, Joshua Cohen, Tony Chou
1Department of Cardiology, San Francisco VA Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, USA. Edward.mcnulty2@med.va.gov
Insights
The Venture Catheter enabled successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in two complex left circumflex artery cases. This deflectable tip catheter overcame guide wire passage challenges where standard wires failed, improving treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Interventional Cardiology
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a primary treatment for coronary artery disease.
- Navigating complex coronary lesions, such as angulated proximal left circumflex occlusions, presents significant challenges for guide wire passage.
Observation:
- Two patients presented with challenging angulated, proximal left circumflex lesions.
- One lesion was a chronic total occlusion, and the other was an acute subtotal occlusion.
Findings:
- Standard guide wires were unsuccessful in traversing the complex lesions in both patients.
- The deflectable tip Venture Catheter facilitated successful guide wire passage in both cases.
- Successful PCI was achieved in both patients after utilizing the Venture Catheter.
Implications:
- The Venture Catheter demonstrates utility in complex coronary interventions where standard techniques fail.
- This device may improve success rates for PCI in challenging proximal left circumflex lesions.
- Deflectable tip catheter technology offers a valuable solution for difficult percutaneous coronary interventions.
Abstract:
We present two patients with angulated, proximal left circumflex lesions, one a chronic total occlusion and one an acute subtotal occlusion. In both cases, use of the deflectable tip Venture Catheter (Velocimed, Minneapolis, MN) facilitated guide wire passage and successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after prior attempts at guide wire passage with standard wires were unsuccessful.