Catheters and Wires

Abstract

Diagnostic catheters are thin-walled tubes introduced into patient’s vessels and the heart via the valved introducer sheaths. Structure of the catheter, its geometry, and other characteristics depend on the purpose it serves. There are many designs and technical solutions created by numerous manufacturers of catheterization equipment. Catheters are named according to their shapes, people who designed them, or the vessels they are supposed to enter. The basic principle of catheter selection, however, is that they must serve the purpose they are suitable for. Thus, in a pediatric cardiac catheterization laboratory, one often uses catheters designed for procedures other than those being performed. Nevertheless, there are some basic catheter categories that the operator has to be familiar with.