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Cardiac catheters designed for the removal of tissue from the heart through the vascular system (e.g., endomyocardial biopsy). These catheters typically consist of a 7 or 8 Fr tube with surgical forceps on the proximal end affixed to a movable wire within the catheter shaft to permit opening and closing of a pair of jaws at the distal tip. They are typically introduced through the jugular vein (right ventricle biopsy) or the femoral arteries (left ventricular biopsy). Biopsy cardiac catheters are mostly used for the detection of, and evaluation of response to treatment of, rejection after cardiac transplantation; they are also used in patients with other suspected cardiomyopathies (e.g., suspected myocarditis, primary cardiomyopathy, drug- or chemically induced myocardiopathy). These catheters are also frequently used for retrieval of foreign objects.
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