Covidien
(NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today
announced the launch of the Viance™ Crossing Catheter and Enteer™
Re-entry System for treating chronic total occlusions (CTOs)
endovascularly. The devices are now available in the United States, the
European Union (EU) and other select international markets.
"Management of the lower extremity CTO remains challenging for
endovascular physicians," said David B. Jessup, MD of PeaceHealth St.
Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Washington. "Effective devices for
CTO crossing and re-entry can expand the number of patients who have
access to endovascular treatment of peripheral arterial disease, which
may help patients avoid more invasive treatments and allow physicians to
offer amputation-saving procedures."
For effective treatment, physicians must be able to successfully cross
lesions. The new tools from Covidien are designed to enable access to
the distal end of a lesion, allowing physicians to treat even the most
challenging lesions endovascularly. Together, the Viance
Crossing Catheter and the Enteer
Re-entry System offer a solution that leverages the skill and
finesse of the physician rather than brute force or capital equipment.
"Covidien now offers a unique solution for the treatment of CTOs," said
Brian Verrier, Vice President and General Manager, Peripheral Vascular,
Covidien. "By adding these products to our market-leading peripheral
portfolio, we strive to demonstrate our commitment to advancing the
treatment of vascular disease worldwide by delivering innovation that
achieves both clinical and economic value for our healthcare partners."
Competitive crossing devices rely on more aggressive cutting, grinding
or pounding motions and can be more difficult to control. Moreover, the
distinctive shape of the re-entry balloon enables it to self-orient
within the vessel. No other product on the market utilizes this balloon
technology for a re-entry system.