Percutaneous Guide Wire Catheterization—Diagnosis and Therapy

Abstract

Seldinger¹in 1953 described a new method of passage of a catheter into a blood vessel without cutdown. The catheter is advanced over a guide wire which has been previously introduced through a needle. The catheter is of larger diameter than the needle, which is the paramount advantage of this method over the introduction of the catheter through the needle lumen. Since then, there have been several reports^2-6of the use of variations of this basic technique. In a few clinics the application of the principle is routine; in others, because of certain disadvantages, there has been little interest. The object of this communication is to describe improvements which have reduced the difficulties and new applications which have increased the advantages of this basic technique. Percutaneous entry is used by choice for many purposes at the James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children in the fields of cardiology, urology,