What is a reverse curve catheter?
A reverse curve catheter is one in which the tip of the catheter doubles back on itself to form a partial loop (. Because of the loop at the end, special maneuvers must often be done to form the loop when the catheter is inside the patient. After the loop is formed, the catheter is pulled down to select a branch vessel. When the tip of the catheter engages the orifice of the vessel, the use of the catheter may be slightly counterintuitive.
The presence of the loop at the end of the catheter causes the tip of the catheter to advance distally in the selected vessel if the catheter is pulled out.
This is exactly opposite what happens with a conventional catheter. One must push a reverse curve catheter inward to deselect a branch vessel. Reverse curve catheters often provide stable access to vessels because of the way they behave. The Simmons catheter is the prototypic reverse curve catheter.
