Abstract: | Inadequate guiding catheter support is a frequent cause for failure in right coronary angioplasty (PTCA). A new guiding catheter designed to provide easy placement in the right coronary and improved stability and backup support is described. Use of this catheter for PTCA of right coronary lesions, the majority of which were considered technically difficult to dilate, in 100 patients resulted in successful dilatations in 88% of patients. Failures were due to inability to seat the guide adequately in 8 patients with narrow aortic roots or unusual coronary origins and to inability to cross a lesion in 4 patients despite good support. In 4 patients successful dilatation was achieved after failure using another presently available guide. |