Development of multi-purpose catheter for visceral arteriography

We developed a multi-purpose catheter for visceral arteriography. The outer diameter of the catheter is 5 Fr and the inner diameter admits a 3 Fr catheter. The catheter is made of soft nylon, with a shaft enforced with stainless wire mesh to improve torque transmission. The head is shaped into a three-dimensional configuration, enabling the superselective catheterization that is required for interventional technique as well as arteriography of first-order branches of the abdominal aorta, e.g. the celiac artery and superior mesenteric artery. Using the catheter, we performed 275 arteriographies in 100 cases (first-order-branch arteriography in 190; superselective technique in 85). Arteriography of first-order branches was successful in all cases. The superselective technique was successful without using any other catheters in 89% of cases.