Use of a molding balloon to facilitate introduction of guiding catheters in fenestrated stent-graft procedures.
OBJECTIVE
To present a technique that addresses the problem of passing guiding catheters through a stent-graft fenestration and into the target orifice over the wire within the visceral vessel when the fenestration is remote from the top cap.


METHODS
A compliant molding balloon is introduced into the main body of the stent-graft and inflated above the fenestration to fill the redundant space in the proximal stent-graft to prevent upward angulation and subsequent displacement of the wire from the target vessel when a less flexible catheter is passed.


CONCLUSIONS
This technique is useful in cases with tortuous and complex anatomy and may reduce overall procedure times.
Regional Vascular Unit, St. Mary's Hospital, London, UK. colin.bicknell@imperial.ac.uk
Colin
C
Bicknell
Celia
C
Riga
Maziar
M
Mireskandari
Stephan
S
Haulon
Mohamad
M
Hamady
Michael
M
Jenkins
D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D015607:Stents