Covidien has announced the launch of its enhanced Wholey Guidewire System. The atraumatic design of the new guidewire enables it to be torqued to facilitate navigation through tortuous arteries and avoid unwanted side branches.
The Wholey guidewire features a shapeable, flexible, radiopaque tip allowing for better visualisation, and the 1:1 torque offers better control than the previous Wholey hi-torque wire.
“Covidien’s commitment to innovation was evident throughout the development of this next-generation Wholey wire and another important step forward in meeting real clinical needs,” said Michael Wholey, interventional radiologist, Southeast Baptist Hospital, San Antonio, Texas, USA. “The new wire introduces tremendous torque control with the ability to turn it where you want it. It gives a physician confidence and control in more challenging cases.”
Lab testing was conducted using an AngioDynamics SoftVu 5F Omni Flush Shepherd’s Hook Catheter. The catheter was placed over a tortuous aortic bifurcation per typical procedures, and the end of the catheter was placed in the iliac/superficial femoral artery (SFA) location. The wire was then torqued multiple times clockwise and counterclockwise.
“The new Wholey wire is definitely an upgrade over prior wires and similar wires on the market today,” said Tom Davis, interventional cardiologist, St Johns Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA. “It has the support of the previous Wholey without the stiff feel to it. It is smooth and supportive for getting a catheter up and over.”
