Usefulness of newly designed pigtail catheter with multiple side holes by reducing incidence of ventricular ectopy

This study was designed to determine whether a newly designed 5 Fr pigtail catheter of Jet Balance with multiple side holes reduces the incidence of v entricular ectopy during left ventriculography, To examine the catheter mov ement in vitro, we injected a colored glycerin solution by an injector thro ugh 5 Fr Jet Balance catheter and 6 Fr conventional pigtail catheter suspen ded in a water filled, glass container, A recoil of the catheter caused by injection was observed for a 6 Fr conventional catheter; however, no cathet er movement was observed when a 5 Fr Jet Balance was used. To evaluate clin ical usefulness of the 5 Fr Jet Balance, we compared the number of incidenc e of ventricular ectopy during left ventriculography between 5 Fr Jet Balan ce and 6 Fr conventional pigtail catheters, In 104 consecutive patients who underwent left ventriculography, a 5 Fr Jet Balance was used in 55 patient s (5 Fr Jet Balance group), and a 6 Fr conventional pigtail in 49 patients (6 Fr conventional pigtail group). The 5 Fr Jet Balance group had a signifi cantly lower incidence of VPB (21.8% vs. 42.9%, P = 0.02), ventricular tach ycardia (1.9% vs. 14.3%, P = 0.02), and multiple VPB (9.0% vs. 34.7%, P = 0 .001), respectively, than the 6 Fr conventional pigtail group. In conclusio n, a 5 Fr Jet Balance pigtail catheter is useful and safe as regard to the incidence of ventricular ectopy during left ventriculography. (C) 1999 Wile y-Liss, Inc.