SOFIA™ Plus: Extended-Reach 6F Intermediate Catheter for Tall Patients and Vertebrobasilar Access
By Modern Medical Solutions Editorial Team
The SOFIA™ Plus extends the proven SOFIA 6F in 125 cm (DA6125ST) and 131 cm (DA6131ST) working lengths, maintaining the 0.070 in inner diameter and full ADAPT and SOLUMBRA capability while providing the additional reach for tall patients, high ICA takeoffs, tortuous arches, and vertebrobasilar occlusions.
What Is the SOFIA™ Plus?
The SOFIA™ Plus is the extended-length variant of the MicroVention Terumo SOFIA 6F distal access catheter, functionally identical to the standard SOFIA 6F — same 0.070 in inner diameter, braided hydrophilic shaft, atraumatic soft distal tip, PTFE inner lining — but offered in 125 cm (DA6125ST) and 131 cm (DA6131ST) working lengths rather than the standard 115 cm (DA6115ST).
In tall patients with long torso/neck proportions, a 115 cm SOFIA 6F fully engaged in a cervical guide catheter may have only a few centimetres of usable intracranial reach. Similarly, a tortuous bovine arch forcing the guide catheter lower than ideal, or a high ICA origin, can consume the margin that distinguishes successful SOFIA placement from a suboptimal one. The SOFIA Plus eliminates this margin problem.
When to Use SOFIA™ Plus vs. Standard SOFIA 6F
Use SOFIA 6F 115 cm for the majority of anterior circulation stroke cases. Upgrade to SOFIA Plus 125 cm for tall patients (>185 cm), tortuous arches requiring a lower guide catheter position, high cervical ICA origins, or any case where 115 cm SOFIA has previously failed to reach the target. Use SOFIA Plus 131 cm for vertebrobasilar occlusions accessed via the vertebral artery, where the total route from femoral access through the subclavian and V1–V4 segments to the basilar artery regularly exceeds 115 cm.
For programs standardising on a single SOFIA 6F length, 125 cm covers the majority of anterior circulation cases including tall patients. A small stock of 131 cm ensures readiness for vertebrobasilar cases without requiring all cases to use the longer catheter.
Technical Specifications
DA6125ST: 125 cm, 0.070 in ID. DA6131ST: 131 cm, 0.070 in ID. Both have the identical outer diameter profile and shaft construction as DA6115ST. Hub compatibility with standard RHVs, aspiration pump connectors, and guide catheter Y-connectors is fully maintained. The additional catheter length at the hub should be supported to prevent kinking at the skin entry site.
ADAPT and SOLUMBRA capability with SOFIA Plus 125 cm and 131 cm is identical to the standard SOFIA 6F — the same aspiration lumen, the same ERIC compatibility for SOLUMBRA, the same ADAPT withdrawal technique.
Technique Tips
Technique for SOFIA Plus is identical to standard SOFIA 6F. The longer catheter will protrude further from the guide catheter hemostatic valve — ensure the extra length is supported. In vertebrobasilar cases with SOFIA Plus 131 cm, acquire road-map from a working view showing the target clearly and confirm SOFIA tip position at the clot face before applying aspiration.
For programs that have not previously stocked extended-length intermediate catheters, keeping a minimum of two SOFIA Plus 125 cm and two SOFIA Plus 131 cm per month provides coverage for the cases requiring them without overcommitting inventory.
Ordering Through Modern Medical Solutions
Modern Medical Solutions is the authorised MicroVention Terumo distributor for Tajikistan and Afghanistan. SOFIA Plus is available in DA6125ST and DA6125ST for neurointerventional programmes in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Contact Modern Medical Solutions to discuss SOFIA Plus alongside standard SOFIA 6F, SOFIA 88, and the Chaperon balloon guide catheter as a complete intermediate catheter family for stroke and elective neurointerventional procedures.
