This sheath provides a direct and smooth pathway for the catheter to enter the artery. A coronary guiding catheter is inserted into the introducer sheath. The coronary guiding catheter is advanced to the part of the aorta where the coronary arteries branch off to the heart. A hemostatic valve, which controls the flow of blood through the artery, is attached to the end of the coronary guiding catheter to allow for the insertion of coronary catheters. Note that a coronary guiding catheter is a conduit for the coronary guide wire and the coronary catheters to access the coronary artery.
Coronary catheters rely on the support provided by the coronary guiding catheter.
A manifold device is also fastened to the guiding catheter. The manifold has three valves. An angioject syringe is used at the end of the manifold to inject contrast medium so the physician can visualize the coronary arteries. A coronary guide wire is loaded into the coronary guiding catheter through the use of a guide wire introducer, and advanced to the cardiac vessel just past the narrowing. Coronary guide wires are used to support the coronary catheters as they are advanced across the artery narrowing.