Six months ago, we launched the Guideplus™ II guide extension catheter made in Japan by the Nipro corporation. To say the reception this product has received was good, would be the underestimate of the year. The manufacturer claims excellent ‘crossability’ and ‘pushability’ owing to its braided tube and hydrophilic coating and doctors in South Africa agree. The doctors who have tried the product here in Mzansi report that its soft tip really separate’s this product from the longest established incumbents.

Published academic research found “The purpose of guide extension catheter was significantly different between the Guideplus and GuideLiner. The Guideplus was more frequently used to support the small profile balloon crossing the CTO or 99% stenosis. The device unsuccessful rate was less in the Guideplus, which may suggest the better performance as the guide extension catheter.”

Tsukui, T., Sakakura, K., Taniguchi, Y., Yamamoto, K., Wada, H., Momomura, S. I., & Fujita, H. (2019). Comparison of the device performance between the conventional guide extension catheter and the soft guide extension catheter. Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicine, 20(2), 113-119.

In Sakakura, Taniguchi, Tsukui, Yamamoto, Momomura & Fujita (2017) it was further found that the Guideplus™ II was able to assist in the removal of an Entrapped Rotational Atherectomy Burr a viewpoint further echoed by Shishido, Tanaka, & Saito (2020).

Sakakura, K., Taniguchi, Y., Tsukui, T., Yamamoto, K., Momomura, S. I., & Fujita, H. (2017). Successful removal of an entrapped rotational atherectomy burr using a soft guide extension catheter. JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, 10(24), e227-e229

Shishido, K., Tanaka, Y., & Saito, S. (2020). Successful Retrieval of a Fractured and Detached Crown From a Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System. Case Reports, 2(15), 2336-2338.