Below is an educational, technical answer to a question many patients and clinicians ask. Catheters and guidewires are the working tools of minimally invasive procedures, used to gain vascular access and navigate to a target inside the body. 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. Access is commonly established with an introducer sheath, which creates a stable, valved entry point through the vessel wall for exchanging devices.
What is a hydrophilic guidewire used for?
A hydrophilic guidewire has a coating that becomes slippery when wet, which is designed to reduce friction while navigating vessels. It is often used to cross tortuous or narrowed anatomy where a low-friction wire aids passage. INVAMED's InWIRE Peripheral Guidewires use a hydrophilic coating and come in 0.035 inch and 0.038 inch diameters with nitinol or stainless steel cores. Which wire is appropriate for a task is determined by the treating clinician.
What This Means in Practice
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. Product specifications and dimension ranges are provided in INVAMED documentation and reflect device design rather than guaranteed clinical outcomes.
Key Considerations
- 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.
- All INVAMED catheter and guidewire devices are intended for use by trained clinicians under appropriate imaging guidance and per the IFU.
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 construction do the AngioCATH guiding catheters use?
AngioCATH Guiding Catheters use durable PEBAX/PA polymer construction with a PTFE-coated lumen and multiple tip shapes for cardiac and peripheral anatomies.
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
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
The support catheter used is chosen by the operator to match the crossing challenge. The appropriate tip shape and catheter are chosen by the clinician for the target anatomy. 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. Coating, core, diameter, and length are selected by the clinician for the specific task. InWIRE 0.014" & 0.018" CTO / Recanalization Guidewires provide these diameters with CTO-focused tip designs. Use of steerable or re-entry devices is determined by the interventionalist based on the crossing strategy. 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 selection for neurovascular access is directed by the neurointerventionalist.
Related on INVAMED
- Comprehensive Catheter & Guidewire Systems — product category
- Comparing Hydrophilic coating and PTFE coating
- Guiding Catheters and Tip Shapes: Technology, Uses and Considerations
- Understanding Braided Guiding and Long Sheaths
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.