Navigation guidewires are interventional procedure guidewires used to navigate, manoeuvre and subselect structures and vessel targets. They are inserted after securing access with a sheath/catheter and are often exchanged for a rail wire after reaching the target destination 1.
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Properties
Navigation wire comes in different tip shapes, floppy tip lengths, sizes, and lengths, but they generally have 1,2:
soft curved/shaped tip - to facilitate vessel sub-selection
floppy body
hydrophilic or hydrophobic, but hydrophilic offers less resistance during navigation in fluid-filled vessels or structures
less stiff than rail wires
Use
crossing tortuous structures
vascular stenosis or clogged catheter - to avoid shearing and embolisation 2
tight biliary stricture
fluid-filled hollow structures (e.g. biliary tree, urinary or digestive tract)