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A Telescoping Catheter System for Angiography of the Left Internal Mammary Artery From a Right Transradial Approach

Interests: Imaging
Published:
Lead Inventor: Sandeep Nathan
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SUMMARY

  • Pedicled left internal mammary artery (LIMA) bypass grafts are performed in over 90% of coronary artery bypass graft surgeries. The grafted vasculature potentially requires future angiographic surveillance or catheterization, with the right transradial approach being the safest and most ergonomically favored vascular access approach. Despite this, there is currently no uniform and efficient method to complete the catheterization of the LIMA using this safer and favored approach due to tortuosity, opposing angles, and loss of torque response.
  • The invention is a catheter system for the standardized, safe, and ergonomic cannulation of a LIMA graft from a right radial access point. This device allows the operator to overcome the technical challenges associated with this safer vascular access approach, without having to use trial and error to find a suitable catheter for a given patient geometry.
  • The inventors developed a telescoping catheter composed of an outer sheath and an inner sheath. The outer sheath passes through the right subclavian (RSA) and engages the left subclavian artery (LSA), while the inner sheath telescopes past the outer sheath to engage the LIMA.
  • A prototype of the telescoping catheter system has been developed and is ready for cadaver studies.

 

FIGURE

Schematic illustration of the invention telescoping catheter system to engage the LIMA using a right transradial approach for vascular access. The outer sheath distal end (44) engages the left subclavian artery. The inner sheath telescopes out past the outer sheath, and the inner sheath distal end (166) cannulates the LIMA. Instruments such as: contrast dye, a controller, or IV fluid can be connected to the proximal end of the outer sheath (164).

 

 

ADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES

  • Safer and more ergonomic than current standard left approach
  • System works with various aortic geometries

 

 

APPLICATIONS

  • Angiographic surveillance of a LIMA bypass graft 
  • Catherization of LIMA bypass grafts

 

 

 

 

  • Ready for cadaver testing