title: Combining balloon-assisted tracking and sheathless guiding catheter: unloosening the Gordian knot.
abstract: In a patient with a small-calibre radial artery and a 360° radio-ulnar loop, we combined the balloon-assisted tracking (BAT) technique (used to track a catheter trough the loop) with the use of a 6.5FPB sheathless guiding catheter, in order to allow the extensive catheter manipulations needed for PCI despite the ongoing artery spasm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Amario
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lazzaro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paraggio
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: italo.porto@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Porto
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D062906:Cardiac Catheters; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011677:Punctures; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014661:Vasoconstriction
keywords: 360°radio-ulnar loop; Balloon-assisted tracking (BAT) technique; Sheathless guiding catheter; Trans-radial approach