This article explains, in educational terms, neurovascular guide wire — how the technology works and where it fits. 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. 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
These tools are applied across endovascular, neurovascular, and urological interventions, from crossing coronary and peripheral lesions to accessing the urinary tract. 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.
Neurovascular Guidewires
Neurovascular navigation demands guidewires with atraumatic tips and responsive torque to steer through delicate intracranial vessels. Flexible distal tips are designed to reduce the risk of vessel trauma during navigation. InWIRE NEURO Neurovascular Guide Wire features flexible atraumatic distal tips with high torque response. Its use is directed by the neurointerventionalist according to the procedure and anatomy.
Design and Technical Notes
INVAMED organizes its catheter and guidewire portfolio by function — access, crossing, support, delivery, and retrieval — across sizes, tip shapes, and coatings. All INVAMED catheter and guidewire devices are intended for use by trained clinicians under appropriate imaging guidance and per the IFU. 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.
Key Considerations
- Tip shape, coating, core material, and support characteristics are selected to fit the specific navigation, crossing, or delivery task.
- 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.
- Sheath inner and outer diameters carry different implications for device compatibility and access, and should be confirmed in product documentation.
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 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.
Does the Invaducer sheath set include accessories?
Yes. The Invaducer Introducer Sheath Set includes a dilator, guidewire, syringe, and sheath, with a hemostasis valve and side port at the proximal end.
Clinical and Technical Context
Tip shape, coating, core material, and support characteristics are selected to fit the specific navigation, crossing, or delivery task. The appropriate tip shape and catheter are chosen by the clinician for the target anatomy. InWIRE NEURO Neurovascular Guide Wire features flexible atraumatic distal tips with high torque response. The Invaducer Introducer Sheath Set includes a dilator, guidewire, syringe, and sheath, with a hemostasis valve and side port at the proximal end. INVAMED's portfolio includes an embolization microcatheter and a detachable-tip embolization catheter system with a distal detachable tip. AngioCATH Guiding Catheters use durable PEBAX/PA polymer construction with a PTFE-coated lumen and multiple tip shapes for cardiac and peripheral anatomies. InWIRE Peripheral Guidewires provide 0.035 inch and 0.038 inch options with a choice of nitinol or stainless steel cores. 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 do guidewire sizes 0.014, 0.018, and 0.035 mean?
- Guiding Catheters and Tip Shapes: Technology, Uses and Considerations
- Comparing Stiff (supportive) guidewire and Floppy (atraumatic) guidewire
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.