PiggyBack Wire Converter
Vascular Solutions, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN) announced the availability of its new PiggyBack wire converter, a unique device designed for peripheral interventional procedures when both a 0.014- and 0.035-inch guidewire are required. The PiggyBack is a 0.035-inch outer diameter catheter that can be delivered over and locked onto any standard 0.014- inch guidewire to allow subsequent delivery of intravascular devices. The PiggyBack converts the 0.014-inch guidewire into a 0.035-inch delivery device, preserving the position of the 0.014-inch guidewire and eliminating the need to switch-out or exchange guidewires. It can either be delivered over a 0.014-inch guidewire that is already positioned in the vessel or preloaded onto a 0.014-inch guidewire before it is introduced into the body. The PiggyBack features a 0.035-inch outer diameter sliding lock, hydrophilic coating for smooth delivery, a radiopaque marker band embedded in the distal tip for visualizing location, and is available in 80-, 120-, and 145-cm lengths. The PiggyBack is currently available for sale in the United States via Vascular Solutions' direct sales force.