fig2

Figure 2. Steerable guide catheter insertion into left atrium. A: AP fluoroscopic projection showing both transseptal sheath and dilator inside the LA; B-D: SGC trough the septum inside the LA after removing the dilator: the dilator can be identified by its typical echogenic coils striations at the cone tip, whereas the tip of the SGC is marked with a radiopaque echo bright rail-road shaped artifact and can be identified by 2D TEE (B) and 3D TEE (C: lateral perspective; D: en face perspective). SGC: steerable guide catheter; RA: right atrium; LA: left atrium; Ao: aortic root/valve; MV: mitral valve