title: A new hemostasis valve for neuroendovascular procedures.
abstract: A hemostasis valve is routinely used in neuroendovascular procedures to decrease the risk of thromboembolism (1,2) . Recently, a new hemostasis valve that is designed to minimize blood loss has been introduced. We report our initial experience in using this new hemostasis valve. In neuroendovascular procedures, a hemostasis valve is commonly used for continuous irrigation of guide and microcatheters to decrease the risk of thromboembolism(1,2,3). A conventional hemostasis valve has a rotating seal at the end, which is turned open or closed each time a wire or microcatheter/guidewire is introduced or extracted. Often this results in significant back bleeding. When a rotating seal is adjusted suboptimally during a wire or microcatheter manipulation, leakage of pressurized saline from the end of a hemostasis valve results in stagnation of blood within a guiding catheter, which becomes a potential source of emboli during a procedure. The Guardian Haemostasis Valve (Zerusa Limited, Galway, Ireland) is a new hemostasis valve that is designed to minimize blood loss during interventional procedures by minimizing the opening time of the valve during wire or microcatheter insertion. A continuous sealing mechanism during wire or microcatheter positioning minimizes blood loss and stagnation of blood within the guide catheter. We report our initial experience with the Guardian hemostasis valve.
authors.affiliation: Center for Endovascular Surgery, Beth Israel Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery Roosevelt Hospital, New York, NY - aberenstein@bethisraelny.org.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Namba
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niimi
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Heran
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berenstein