Vascular Solutions Introduces New Versions of Turnpike Catheters

June 17, 2015—Vascular Solutions, Inc. announced the launch of two new versions of its Turnpike catheters for use in complex coronary and peripheral interventions. The original version of Turnpike was introduced in January, and now Vascular Solutions has added the Turnpike Spiral and Turnpike Gold versions.

According to Vascular Solutions, all three versions of the Turnpike are over-the-wire catheters with an advanced shaft design that provides superior tracking and advancement over an 0.014-inch guidewire. The single-lumen catheters are constructed in five layers:  two layers of polymer encapsulating both a braid and a dual-layer coil. All three versions also feature a hydrophilic coating on the distal 60 cm of the catheter for smooth advancement.

The original version of the Turnpike, launched in January, extends the catheter’s braid and dual-layer coil into a soft, radiopaque distal tip, which, following a nontapered, polymer-only section, gradually tapers to a smooth distal edge. 

The new Turnpike Spiral version uses the same shaft and tip configuration but adds an outer coil attached to the distal 2 cm of the shaft, which is useful in procedures in which physicians need additional rotational advancement of the catheter through tortuous anatomy. 

The new Turnpike Gold version uses the same shaft but features a threaded, gold-plated tip designed for rotational advancement in cases in which an 0.014-inch guidewire has been advanced through a lesion but even the smallest balloon catheter is unable to be delivered over the wire.

The Turnpike catheters are intended to be used to access discrete regions of the coronary and/or peripheral vasculature. The catheters may be used to facilitate placement or exchange of guidewires and to subselectively infuse/deliver diagnostic and therapeutic agents, stated Vascular Solutions.

In the company’s press release, James Spratt, MD, commented, “A major focus of my practice is the treatment of complex cases, and these interventions require specialized devices to navigate in highly tortuous vessels and through extremely tight plaque lesions. I have been very impressed with the new Turnpike catheters and have incorporated these devices into my practice. The design of these catheters allows for excellent tracking in tortuous vessels and superior passage through difficult stenoses.” Dr. Spratt is Consultant Cardiologist at Forth Valley Acute Hospitals in the United Kingdom.