Coronary Guidewires

Abstract

Amid a large set of tools available to perform a successful percutaneous coronary intervention, guidewires have received far less attention than guide catheters, stents, etc., although their key role during the procedure is at least as important. Guidewires may all look similar, but their internal structure varies widely and, as a consequence, their technical characteristics do show major differences. These various characteristics result from the different materials and internal structures of the different parts of the guidewire—i.e., the core, tip, body, cover, and coating—and so they affect guidewire performance. The selection of a particular guidewire is based on one or more specifications—such as flexibility, steerability, support, trackability, torquability, and tip load—needed to tackle the target lesion and the entire target vessel. In-depth knowledge of this information will help in choosing the most appropriate tool for any given lesion and so contribute to a successful procedure.