COMPARISON OF 7-FRENCH AND 8-FRENCH GUIDING CATHETERS FOR ELECTIVE PTCA - RESULTS OF A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED TRIAL

A prospective randomized trial was performed to detect technical and c linical differences of 7F compared to 85 guiding catheters (GC) used i n elective coronary angioplasty (PTCA). One hundred and fifteen patien ts undergoing elective PICA with standard balloon dilatation catheters were randomized to 7F (55 pts) or 8F (58 pts) guiding catheters. The endpoints were primarily coronary artery and peripheral vascular compl ications; and secondarily, technical details and quantitative and qual itative angiographic quality. There was no difference between 7F or 8F CC for development of coronary or peripheral vascular complications. With 7F GC there was less blood loss (Hct, 3.5 +/- 3.4% vs. 6.5 +/- 9. 6%, P = .033), and less contrast medium (160 +/- 88 mt vs. 200 +/- 119 mt, P = .049) used. Angiographic quality was similar, although visual ization of lesions in the left anterior descending coronary artery in the left anterior oblique projection was improved with the 8F GC. Ther e is no advantage of 7F GC for the prevention of coronary or periphera l vascular complications, although there was less blood loss and contr ast medium used with the 7F systems. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.