The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and performance of a novel diagnostic catheter specifically designed for engaging both coronary arteries via the right transradial artery approach. A total of 160 patients were randomized between the standard Judkins (5F R4, L4; Cordis Corporation, Miami, FL) and the 5F Tiger II (Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) catheters. End points included the duration of various procedures and the assessments of angiographic image quality and catheter performance. The Tiger II was associated with a significantly shorter (40%) total procedure time (199.6+/-50.2 vs. 331.5+/-72.9 s, p=0.001) and a 33% shorter total fluoroscopic time (93.1+/-33.8 vs. 138.2+/-47.6 s, p=0.001) for diagnostic coronary angiography, compared with those with the Judkins catheter. There was no significant difference between the Tiger II and Judkins catheters for left coronary angiographic quality (left anterior descending, 2.82+/-0.48 vs. 2.94+/-0.29, p=0.084; left circumflex, 2.90+/-0.38 vs. 2.87+/-0.44, p=0.629). The Tiger II provided superior right coronary angiograms, compared with the Judkins catheter (2.99+/- 0.11 vs. 2.82+/-0.48, p=0.003). For the left coronary angiograms, the initial randomized catheter completed the procedure in 91% of the patients with the Tiger II and in 98% with the Judkins (p=0.167) catheters. For the right coronary angiograms, 100% were completed with the Tiger II and 95% with the Judkins (p=0.120) catheters. There were no angiographic or clinical complications in either group, so the procedural success rate was 100%. The potential of the Tiger II catheter for use as a multipurpose catheter for right transradial coronary angiography to reduce procedural and X-ray times to the level of classic transfemoral coronary angiography has to be confirmed in a randomized study.
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