EXPERIENCE WITH A DOUBLE-LOOP GUIDING CATHETER FOR ANGIOPLASTY OF THERIGHT CORONARY-ARTERY

An 8 French (F) double loop guiding (DLG) catheter was developed for p ercutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of the right coro nary artery (RCA) and tested in 80 patients: primary use in 59 patient s, and after failure of an 8 F right Judkins guiding (RJG) catheter in 21 patients. Primary use resulted in stable intubation of RCA in 55 p atients (93%), but PTCA was successful in 50 (91%). Five failures resu lted from inability to cross or dilate the lesion. After failure of an 8 F RJG in 21 patients, successful stable intubation of RCA with a DL G was achieved in 19 patients (90%), but PTCA was successful in 17 pat ients (81%). Failure of RJGs in 21 patients resulted from inability to intubate the RCA in 12 patients, or inadequate back up support by the guiding in 9 patients. Conclusion: DLGs increased the success rate of PTCA of the RCA after failure of RJGs. (C) 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.