Cardiac catheterization and selective angiography in infants with a new flow-directed catheter.

Preliminary experience with a new flow-directed pediatric angiography catheter in 35 infants indicates that catheterization of all cardiac chambers and both great vessels can be accomplished without risk of perforation or major arrhythmia. Antegrade access to the aorta from the left ventricle via the foramen ovale reduced the need for retrograde arterial catheterization. The maneuverability of this balloon-tipped catheter coupled with the ability to perform safely selective angiography at any site entered establishes a unique advantage over standard cardiac catheters now in use. The success with this catheter in performing right and left heart studies and the safety in its use promise to significantly reduce the risk of mechanical and angiographic accidents during the intracardiac investigation of critically ill infants with congenital heart disease.