Background Pediatric neurointervention is challenged by the appropriateness of adult catheters and devices. This multicenter report on the smallest groin access sheaths offers technical notes and clinical outcomes in the pediatric neurointerventional population.

Methods All pediatric neurointerventional cases from 2019 to 2021 were reviewed for use of a 3.3F Pediavascular or a 4F Merit Prelude Ideal low profile sheath. Hospital records were reviewed for complications and technical notes and compared with arterial groin access with the 4F Terumo Pinnacle in infants less than 1 year old, before the low profile sheaths at one author’s institution were introduced.

Results From January 1, 2019 to March 31, 2021 there were 347 procedures performed at Boston Children’s Hospital and University of Wisconsin. Forty-four procedures in 26 patients were identified in which a 3.3F (38 cases, 20 patients) or 4F (6 cases, 6 patients) sheath was used. The average age was 2.2 years (1.5 days to 18 years). Retinoblastoma intra-arterial chemotherapy infusion (18 of 44) was the most common indication. The remaining procedures comprised vein of Galen embolization (12), diagnostic cerebral angiography (13), and one preoperative tumor embolization. Morbidity included a groin hematoma and decreased pulses (4.5%). No major groin complications occurred. There was no statistically significant difference compared with the historical cohort (132 procedures), which had seven instances of decreased pulses (5.3%, p>0.05).

Conclusion The 3.3F Pediavascular and 4F Merit Prelude Ideal sheaths are easily incorporated into the pediatric neurointerventionalist’s armamentarium for infants and readily accommodate various microcatheters for distal embolization and catheterization.