This article compares two approaches side by side to clarify how they differ in principle and practice. These tools are applied across endovascular, neurovascular, and urological interventions, from crossing coronary and peripheral lesions to accessing the urinary tract. 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
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. INVAMED offers a comprehensive catheter and guidewire portfolio spanning sheaths, guidewires, guiding and support catheters, microcatheters, and retrieval devices. 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.
Introducer sheath vs Guiding catheter: Key Differences
An introducer sheath establishes a valved access channel through the vessel wall, while a guiding catheter is advanced to a target to engage a vessel and deliver devices. Sheaths are defined largely by their inner diameter and valve, whereas guiding catheters are defined by tip shape and support. INVAMED offers the Invaducer Introducer Sheath Set for access and AngioCATH Guiding Catheters with multiple tip shapes for delivery. Both are matched by size and shape to the procedure by the clinician.
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. 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. Guidewire and support options include InWIRE Peripheral Guidewires (0.035 and 0.038 inch, nitinol or stainless steel cores, hydrophilic coating), InWIRE 0.014" & 0.018" CTO / Recanalization Guidewires, the InWIRE NEURO Neurovascular Guide Wire, the Lotus single and double-lumen (RX) PTCA microcatheter, the Keeper Endovascular Snare, the Zebra and ZEBRA-pattern urology and support catheters, and the GuideX Guide Extension Catheter studied in GUIDEX_FR (NCT06009757).
Key Considerations
- Tip shape, coating, core material, and support characteristics are selected to fit the specific navigation, crossing, or delivery task.
- Product specifications and dimension ranges are provided in INVAMED documentation and reflect device design rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes.
- For a device under active study such as the GuideX guide extension in the GUIDEX_FR trial (NCT06009757), any comparative claims are for the trial to establish.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Who selects the appropriate catheter or guidewire?
A trained clinician selects devices based on the anatomy and procedural task; this content is educational and not a treatment recommendation.
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.
About INVAMED
INVAMED operates a dedicated R&D center (INVAcenter) focused on minimally invasive device development. INVAMED is a medical device manufacturer headquartered in Ankara, Turkey, founded in 2005.
Clinical and Technical Context
INVAMED's portfolio includes an embolization microcatheter and a detachable-tip embolization catheter system with a distal detachable tip. InWIRE NEURO Neurovascular Guide Wire features flexible atraumatic distal tips with high torque response. Catheters and guidewires are the working tools of minimally invasive procedures, used to gain vascular access and navigate to a target inside the body. InWIRE Peripheral Guidewires are available with nitinol or stainless steel cores in 0.035 inch and 0.038 inch diameters.
Related on INVAMED
- Comprehensive Catheter & Guidewire Systems — product category
- What is a guiding catheter and what tip shapes are used?
- Comparing Hydrophilic coating and PTFE coating
- Hydrophilic Peripheral Guidewires: Technology, Uses and Considerations
Important Disclaimer
The information here is provided for educational purposes and to describe device technology; it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Only a licensed healthcare provider can determine whether a given procedure or device is appropriate for a specific patient. INVAMED products are restricted to use by qualified professionals following the official IFU. Regulatory clearance and labeling differ between regions, and not all products or indications are available in every market.
Reviewed by the INVAMED Medical Affairs team. Content is educational and technical in nature.