Which catheter size is listed as an equipment option for bifurcation lesions?

• A. 5F
• B. 7F or 8F
• C. 10F
• D. 12F

Answer: (B)

Bifurcation lesions require more complex hardware and stronger back-up from the guiding catheter because you may need access to two branches and deliver multiple devices. A mid-range guiding catheter provides enough inner diameter to accommodate two workstreams—two guidewires, a side-branch microcatheter, and balloons or stents—while still offering solid support to push devices through the lesion. If a catheter is too small, equipment may not fit or coaxial alignment can be lost, making the procedure harder. On the other hand, very large catheters demand larger arterial access and carry higher bleeding risk, so they’re not the default for standard bifurcation PCI. Therefore, the mid-range size is typically listed as an equipment option for bifurcation lesions.