Fig. 2: Intravascular device implantation.
a Neck and intracranial angiography with maximum intensity projection (MIP) technique showing the anterior (i), lateral (ii), and oblique (iii) views of the venous path from the jugular vein to the confluence of sinuses, embedded in a highly intricate and tortuous venous network for device navigation. Red arrows indicate the stenotic segments. A: anterior, P: posterior, R: right, L: left, S: superior, I: Inferior. Scale bars, 10 mm. b Left, puncture force (Fp) measurement of the tip of microneedle. Boxed plots: the 25th, 50th (median), and 75th percentiles of the data (n = 20) are indicated. The whiskers represent minimum and maximum values. Right, bending properties of a 20-mm long microneedle, showing the bending angle and deflection force at different tip displacements. Error bars, SD. c Penetration at the confluence of sinuses without the balloon catheter system. DSA images showing the location of the microneedle before (i) and after (ii) penetration. The penetration direction was confirmed using DSA 3D reconstruction (iii-v). Arrowheads mark the location of the microneedle tip. Arrows in (v) indicate the trajectory of the piercing device. d Penetration assisted by a balloon catheter system. DSA images showing the location of the microneedle before (i) and after (ii, iii) penetration. The penetration direction was confirmed using DSA 3D reconstruction (iv, v). Arrowheads mark the location of the microneedle tip. Scale bars in (c) and (d), 10 mm.
