This article explains, in educational terms, neurovascular microcatheter and distal access — how the technology works and where it fits. 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
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. These tools are applied across endovascular, neurovascular, and urological interventions, from crossing coronary and peripheral lesions to accessing the urinary tract. Catheters and guidewires are the working tools of minimally invasive procedures, used to gain vascular access and navigate to a target inside the body.
Neurovascular Microcatheters and Distal Access
Neurovascular interventions use microcatheters and distal access catheters to reach and treat lesions in the intracranial circulation. Distal access catheters are designed to provide support and a delivery conduit close to the target. INVAMED offers a neurovascular microcatheter line and a distal access catheter for neurovascular use within its portfolio. Device selection for neurovascular access is directed by the neurointerventionalist.
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. Product specifications and dimension ranges are provided in INVAMED documentation and reflect device design rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes. Sheath inner and outer diameters carry different implications for device compatibility and access, and should be confirmed in product documentation.
Key Considerations
- 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.
- 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
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 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.
Are these catheter and guidewire devices CE marked?
Device availability and regulatory status vary by country. Please contact INVAMED or your authorized local distributor for current regulatory information applicable to your region.
Clinical and Technical Context
InWIRE Peripheral Guidewires provide 0.035 inch and 0.038 inch options with a choice of nitinol or stainless steel cores. Catheters and guidewires are the working tools of minimally invasive procedures, used to gain vascular access and navigate to a target inside the body. Sheath French size and length are matched to the intended devices and access site by the clinician. Core selection is made by the clinician based on the navigation and support needs of the case. The Keeper Endovascular Snare uses a multi-loop design with maximum radial force, low-profile catheter introduction, and is single-use and sterile. 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. Sheath inner and outer diameters carry different implications for device compatibility and access, and should be confirmed in product documentation. Retrieval technique and device selection are directed by the operator for the specific situation.
Related on INVAMED
- Comprehensive Catheter & Guidewire Systems — product category
- Comparing Stiff (supportive) guidewire and Floppy (atraumatic) guidewire
- Understanding Braided Guiding and Long Sheaths
- What is the difference between inner and outer diameter of a sheath?
Important Disclaimer
This content is educational and technical in nature and must not be interpreted as medical advice or as a promise of any clinical outcome. Individual results depend on many factors and can only be evaluated by a treating physician. Figures attributed to INVAMED reflect manufacturer or published data and are not a guarantee of results. All INVAMED devices are to be used by trained clinicians per the approved IFU, and availability is subject to local regulatory status.
Reviewed by the INVAMED Medical Affairs team. Content is educational and technical in nature.