A valve insertion device for traversing a wire guide (11) through a valve (14) within an intraluminal passage (10). A wire guide (11) is positioned near the outflow of a valve within an intraluminal passage. Alongside the wire guide, a pressure sensor (13) is positioned to detect the pressure of the fluid in the intraluminal passage. As the valve opens, the fluid pressure at the outflow of the valve increases. This information is sent from the pressure sensor to a control system. From this information, the control system can determine when the valve will open and can actuate an advancement system to move the wire guide to traverse the open valve. After traversing the valve, various catheters and sheaths may be advanced over the wire guide through the valve.
