Catella's catheter "Rikishi" (right). Drilled hole in guiding catheter.

Catella (Taito-ku, Tokyo) has developed and launched a new catheter called "Rikishi" for the treatment of completely occluded lesions in the shallow femoral artery. The catheter has a hole in the side of the guiding catheter so that guidewires and devices used for treatment can be inserted through the hole while the catheter is inserted into the deep femoral artery. This makes it easier to approach the shallow femoral artery. The price is 24,000 yen. The company aims to sell 1,000 units per year. The guiding catheter is inserted into the deep femoral artery until the hole on the side is at the position of the shallow femoral artery. The guidewire can be inserted into the catheter and then released through the hole on the side. However, the guidewire operation is difficult and time-consuming. The company hopes to contribute to the diversification of treatment methods by spreading the use of Lixi. Photo taken on June 18, 2019, credit: Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun / Kyodo News Images