Below is an educational, technical answer to a question many patients and clinicians ask. 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
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. INVAMED offers a comprehensive catheter and guidewire portfolio spanning sheaths, guidewires, guiding and support catheters, microcatheters, and retrieval 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.
What do guidewire sizes 0.014, 0.018, and 0.035 mean?
Guidewire sizes such as 0.014, 0.018, and 0.035 refer to the wire diameter in inches, which affects support and the devices it can carry. Smaller diameters like 0.014 and 0.018 inch are used for fine navigation and crossing lesions, while 0.035 inch is a common workhorse size for peripheral access. INVAMED offers InWIRE 0.014" & 0.018" CTO / Recanalization Guidewires and InWIRE Peripheral Guidewires in 0.035 inch and 0.038 inch. The diameter used is selected by the clinician based on the vessel and the devices being delivered.
What This Means in Practice
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. Product specifications and dimension ranges are provided in INVAMED documentation and reflect device design rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes. 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.
Key Considerations
- Product specifications and dimension ranges are provided in INVAMED documentation and reflect device design rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes.
- 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.
- All INVAMED catheter and guidewire devices are intended for use by trained clinicians under appropriate imaging guidance and per the IFU.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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.
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 offers a steerable support catheter with a deflectable tip and a re-entry system within its catheter portfolio. Use of steerable or re-entry devices is determined by the interventionalist based on the crossing strategy. The Keeper Endovascular Snare uses a multi-loop design with maximum radial force, low-profile catheter introduction, and is single-use and sterile. All INVAMED catheter and guidewire devices are intended for use by trained clinicians under appropriate imaging guidance and per the IFU. INVAMED's crossing support catheters feature a reinforced shaft, hydrophilic coating, and low profile, while the ZEBRA support catheter adds a ZEBRA-pattern radiopaque coating. The Zebra Guidewire for Urological Procedures features a high-visibility striped coating and a flexible atraumatic tip, complementing INVAMED's broader urology guidewire range. Selection of a CTO wire and its tip characteristics is made by the interventionalist based on lesion morphology. INVAMED offers a comprehensive catheter and guidewire portfolio spanning sheaths, guidewires, guiding and support catheters, microcatheters, and retrieval devices.
Related on INVAMED
- Comprehensive Catheter & Guidewire Systems — product category
- What is an endovascular snare used for?
- Neurovascular Guidewires: How It Works and Why It Matters
- 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.