TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES OF A 0.009-INCH NITINOLMICROGUIDEWIRE FOR POTENTIAL NEUROENDOVASCULAR APPLICATIONS

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES. The authors conduct technical feasibility an d performance studies on a new 0.009-inch nitinol microguidewire for p otential neuroendovascular applications. METHODS. In vivo microcathete rizations of brachiocephalic arteries were performed in four pigs usin g the 0.009-inch nitinol microguidewire with a commonly used microcath eter and compared with the performance of commercially available micro guidewires. Vessels catheterized using the 0.009-inch wire were evalua ted by histopathologil analysis. A standardized, bench-top method of e valuating basic mechanical properties of microguidewires also was used to compare the 0.009-inch nitinol microguidewire with two commonly us ed microguidewires. RESULTS. The 0.009-inch microguidewire had similar steerability, tractability, torque control, and distal tip flexibilit y to the commonly used microguidewires in the in vivo simulations, Ben ch top testing showed the 0.009-inch microguidewire to have comparable distal tip flexibility and objective mechanical properties to the com monly used microguidewires. CONCLUSIONS. The comparable subjective and objective mechanical properties of the 0.009-inch nitinol microguidew ire to that of commonly used microguidewires further establishes the p ossibility of clinical implementation.