title: Technique for shortening angioplasty guide catheter length when therapeutic catheter fails to reach target stenosis.
abstract: Occasionally, the usable length of a balloon angioplasty or other therapeutic catheter is insufficient to reach the target stenosis. We describe a technique of shortening the guide catheter from the proximal end in vivo without removing the coronary guidewire. This permits greater projection of the therapeutic catheter to reach distal stenoses.
authors.affiliation: Heart, Lung and Vascular Center, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA 92037.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Stratienko
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Schatz
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Teirstein
mesh_terms: D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans