A LARGE LUMEN MICROCATHETER FOR ONCOLOGIC INTERVENTION

A newly available Tracker-325 catheter (Target Therapeutics, Fremont, CA, USA), modified from the Tracker-18 catheter, has the same outer di ameter but a larger lumen. This catheter was used in 15 patients durin g a 7-month period for superselective arterial catheterization when co nventional catheters could not be placed successfully. Arterial emboli zation (n = 7), chemoembolization (n = 5), and chemoinfusion (n = 3), were performed. The increased luminal diameter of the Tracker-325 allo wed an increased flow rate for diagnostic arteriography, accommodated larger embolic particles, and improved the ability to achieve a supers elective position.