Medtronic launches new device in U.S. to improve treatment of aortic aneurysm

Nov 19 2008

Adding to its recent endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) innovations, Medtronic, Inc. has announced the U.S. launch of the Talent Abdominal Stent Graft on the Xcelerant Hydro Delivery System.

EVAR is a treatment for aortic aneurysm, a dangerous bulge or weakening in the body's main artery that can rupture with fatal consequences if left untreated. In the United States, abdominal aortic aneurysms - the most common type - are responsible for approximately 15,000 deaths annually. Worldwide, it is estimated that more than one million people are living with undiagnosed aortic aneurysms, and that 95 percent of these could be successfully treated if detected before rupture.

EVAR involves the navigation of a stent graft, via the body's arteries, to the aorta. The stent graft is then deployed to create a reinforced tube within the aorta, reducing pressure on the aneurysm and the risk of rupture. EVAR is a minimally-invasive alternative to open surgical repair.

The Xcelerant Hydro Delivery System features a hydrophilic coating which attracts and holds water at the device surface to reduce friction. The coating is designed to aid navigation through the femoral and iliac arteries en route to the aorta.

"The combination of the Xcelerant Hydro Delivery System and the Talent Abdominal Stent Graft represents another major step forward for the treatment of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms," said Dr. Manish Mehta of Albany Medical College and Albany Medical Center Hospital in New York. "The hydrophilic coating takes deliverability to a new level and gives endovascular interventionalists like me greater control over the deployment of this excellent stent graft, which has no equal in terms of sizes and profile. Taken together, these technologies simplify the procedure and enhance patient care - a powerful combination indeed."

"The Xcelerant Hydro Delivery System again demonstrates Medtronic's innovation in the field of EVAR," said Tony Semedo, vice president and general manager of Endovascular Innovations at Medtronic. "The launch of the Talent stent grafts earlier this year made EVAR available to significantly more patients than possible with earlier technologies. Now, by introducing the Talent Abdominal Stent Graft on the Xcelerant Hydro Delivery System in the United States, we have enhanced navigation. All of these innovations benefit physicians and patients alike."

A pioneer of EVAR, Medtronic has been an innovator and leader in the stent graft industry for over a decade. Its history includes more than 150,000 patients treated with stent grafts dating back to 1995. Medtronic offers the broadest portfolio of aortic stent grafts. The AneuRx AAAdvantage and Talent Abdominal Stent Grafts with the Xcelerant Hydro Delivery System and the Talent Thoracic Stent Graft with the Xcelerant Delivery System are commercially available in the U.S. The Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft and the Endurant Stent Graft Systems are commercially available only outside the U.S. The Reliant  Stent Graft Balloon Catheter is commercially available worldwide.