iData Research

Neurovascular catheters, also known as microcatheters, are a type of catheter small enough to be used in neurovascular procedures. The devices are very narrow in order to traverse the fine vessels within the brain. Microcatheters are designed with several properties in mind: hydrophilic coating, softness, trackability and stability. Neurovascular catheters are to deliver detachable coils, stents, liquid embolics and pharmaceutical products directly to the brain. They are often used for treating aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), trauma and strokes. Microcatheters are offered with different varieties of tips, which allow physicians to choose the appropriate tip for a specific location in the brain. The devices also vary in diameter, which is measured in French (F) size, where one F is equal to 0.33 mm. Although tip and diameter can vary widely, microcatheters are grouped by guiding systems. There are three types of microcatheters: over-the-wire, flow directed including the new detachable tip versions and guide catheters.