Clinical feasibility of 0.018-inch intravascular ultrasound imaging device

Non-Coronary Vessel Exploration Under Intravascular Ultrasound: Principles and Applicability

“…Most current percutaneous trans-luminal angioplasty balloons and stents targeted for infrainguinal regions require only 6 Fr sheaths. The 3.4 Fr, 3.2 Fr, or 2.9 Fr catheters, using 0.018-inch and 0.014-inch guide wires, are more suitable for the typical retrograde common femoral artery puncture and access to the contra-lateral femoral-popliteal segments (Hiro et al, 1998;Saketkhoo et al, 2004). In some case, especially with tortuous vessels and when antegrade puncture of the common femoral vessel is required, the 3 Fr catheters are also useful.…”

“…Lengths of IVUS catheters are vary from 90 to 150 cm, thus allowing imaging of small tibial vessels from a contra-lateral up-and-over approach. The smaller catheters require 0.018-inch or 0.014-inch guide wires and are commonly used for infra-inguinal interventions, whereas the larger IVUS catheters need 0.035-inch guide wires and used for larger vessel interventions (Hiro et al, 1998).…”