title: A technique to access severely diseased arteries.
abstract: Cardiac catheterization performed in patients with severe peripheral vascular disease may represent a difficult technical challenge and is associated with a higher incidence of vascular complications. We describe a technique that uses angioplasty equipment to access severely diseased arteries. This technique allows a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) guide wire to be steered across vascular lesions under direct visualization of the lumen and continuous pressure monitoring, potentially reducing the risk of vascular complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goudreau
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Vetrovec
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male