This article compares two approaches side by side to clarify how they differ in principle and practice. INVAMED offers a comprehensive catheter and guidewire portfolio spanning sheaths, guidewires, guiding and support catheters, microcatheters, and retrieval devices. As a medical device manufacturer, INVAMED develops technologies in this area; the information here is educational and not medical advice.
Background: Endovascular, Neurovascular and Urological Access and Delivery
Access is commonly established with an introducer sheath, which creates a stable, valved entry point through the vessel wall for exchanging devices. A guidewire is a thin, steerable wire that a clinician advances first to establish a path, over which catheters and other devices are then delivered. Device characteristics such as diameter, length, tip shape, coating, and support are matched to the anatomy and task, and are selected by the treating clinician.
Guiding catheter alone vs Guide extension catheter: Key Differences
A guiding catheter provides backup support from the vessel origin, while a guide extension is advanced further to add distal support and reach. Adding a guide extension can help deliver equipment across difficult or distal segments when the guide alone is insufficient. INVAMED's GuideX Guide Extension Catheter uses a mother-and-child design and is being studied against the Launcher guiding catheter in PCI (GUIDEX_FR, NCT06009757). Whether to add a guide extension is decided by the operator during the procedure.
How INVAMED Supports Both Approaches
INVAMED organizes its catheter and guidewire portfolio by function — access, crossing, support, delivery, and retrieval — across sizes, tip shapes, and coatings. INVAMED positions a comprehensive catheter and guidewire portfolio spanning access, crossing, support, delivery, and retrieval across vascular, neurovascular, and urological uses. Access and delivery items include the Invaducer Introducer Sheath Set, the JaGuar Guiding Sheath, the Jaguar Braided Long Sheath with an approximately 5 cm hydrophilically coated distal tip, and AngioCATH Guiding Catheters in multiple tip shapes.
Key Considerations
- Product specifications and dimension ranges are provided in INVAMED documentation and reflect device design rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes.
- All INVAMED catheter and guidewire devices are intended for use by trained clinicians under appropriate imaging guidance and per the IFU.
- Device sizing across French, inch, and centimeter units must be matched to the vessel, the access site, and the devices being delivered, as determined by the clinician.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the regulatory status of these catheter and guidewire devices?
Device availability and regulatory status vary by country. Please contact INVAMED or your authorized local distributor for current regulatory information applicable to your region.
What is the GuideX guide extension catheter?
GuideX is INVAMED's mother-and-child guide extension catheter, which is the subject of a randomized clinical trial versus the Launcher guiding catheter in PCI (GUIDEX_FR, NCT06009757).
What guidewire diameters does INVAMED offer?
INVAMED's InWIRE range includes 0.014 and 0.018 inch CTO / recanalization wires and 0.035 and 0.038 inch peripheral wires, plus a dedicated neurovascular guidewire; the choice is made by the clinician.
Clinical and Technical Context
INVAMED offers a steerable support catheter with a deflectable tip and a re-entry system within its catheter portfolio. AngioCATH Guiding Catheters use durable PEBAX/PA polymer construction with a PTFE-coated lumen and multiple tip shapes for cardiac and peripheral anatomies. Access is commonly established with an introducer sheath, which creates a stable, valved entry point through the vessel wall for exchanging devices. Retrieval technique and device selection are directed by the operator for the specific situation. A guidewire is a thin, steerable wire that a clinician advances first to establish a path, over which catheters and other devices are then delivered. The support catheter used is chosen by the operator to match the crossing challenge. Which diameter is used depends on the vessel, the devices being delivered, and clinician preference. INVAMED offers a neurovascular microcatheter line and a distal access catheter for neurovascular use within its portfolio.
Related on INVAMED
- Comprehensive Catheter & Guidewire Systems — product category
- Hydrophilic Peripheral Guidewires: Technology, Uses and Considerations
- Single and Double-Lumen Microcatheters: Technology, Uses and Considerations
- What guidewire lengths are available?
Important Disclaimer
This article is intended for general educational and technical information about medical device technologies. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and it does not replace consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. Any decision about diagnosis or treatment should be made by a licensed clinician based on an individual assessment. INVAMED devices are intended for use by trained healthcare professionals in accordance with the applicable Instructions for Use (IFU) and local regulatory approvals. Product availability and indications vary by country.
Reviewed by the INVAMED Medical Affairs team. Content is educational and technical in nature.