title: Endovascular brain intervention and mapping in a dog experimental model using magnetically-guided micro-catheter technology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the substantial progress that has been achieved in interventional cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology, endovascular intervention for the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as stroke, epilepsy and CNS malignancy is still limited, particularly due to highly tortuous nature of the cerebral arterial and venous system. Existing interventional devices and techniques enable only limited and complicated access especially into intra-cerebral vessels. The aim of this study was to develop a micro-catheter magnetically-guided technology specifically designed for endovascular intervention and mapping in deep CNS vascular structures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mapping of electrical brain activity was performed via the venous system on an animal dog model with the support of the NIOBE II system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A novel micro-catheter specially designed for endovascular interventions in the CNS, with the support of the NIOBE II technology, was able to reach safely deep intra-cerebral venous structures and map the electrical activity there. Such structures are not currently accessible using standard catheters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study demonstrating successful use of a new micro-catheter in combination with NIOBE II technology for endovascular intervention in the brain.
authors.affiliation: International Clinical Research Center - Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, St Anne's University Hospital in Brno and Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leinveber
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vlasin
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jurak
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chrastina
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Czechowicz
authors.forename: Milos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belehrad
authors.forename: Samuel J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Asirvatham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D057785:Catheters; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D004285:Dogs; D004569:Electroencephalography; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D059346:Magnets