The first cases using the ProTrack Pigtail wire (Baylis Medical) in Europe were performed last month at St George’s Hospital in London. The ProTrack Pigtail wire is used during the transseptal procedure, a challenging minimally invasive technique used to cross the septum of the heart.
Riyaz Kaba, electrophysiologist at St George’s Hospital, explains: “The ProTrack Pigtail wire worked very well in our initial experience. The design combines a strong core in the body of the wire with a soft, curled tip. The strong core provides the strength needed to cross a challenging septum, while the soft tip is atraumatic to the left atrium.”
In certain patients, physicians are faced with highly resistant cardiac tissue. In such instances, physicians are normally required to apply strong pressure on catheters and guidewires, which increases the risk of inadvertent perforation. The ProTrack Pigtail wire is designed to minimise this risk by providing more control.
The transseptal procedure is commonly part of atrial fibrillation ablation procedures and other emerging cardiac interventions, such as left atrial appendage occlusion and mitral valve repair. It is a challenging and specialised technique used to place treatment catheters into to the left atrium of the heart.
The ProTrack Pigtail wire, designed specifically for the transseptal procedure, incorporates a stiff body with a soft curling pigtail-like tip. The purpose of this dual design is to provide the support needed to advance any transseptal sheath into the left atrium while reducing the risk of inadvertent perforation.
