June 3, 2008 - The first human use of Cook Medical’s new Zenith Low Profile AAA Endograft System with a smaller delivery system reportedly was successful, and the company hopes it will make endovascular treatment of aneurysms available to thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients.
The new system has been simplified to eliminate the top cap and uses more highly compressible Z-stent bodies instead of the existing stents used in the current Zenith Flex endografts, said the manufacturer.
The Zenith Low Profile AAA Endograft System addresses reduces the size of the delivery sheath to 16 French. This development, if proven safe and effective in an upcoming clinical trial, could open endovascular treatment of aneurysms to a new class of patients who currently have only open surgery as a treatment option due to the small diameter of their blood vessels and other anatomic issues.
In addition, it may enable physicians to eliminate the need for a surgical cut down to access the femoral artery and allow the use of the percutaneous entry technique where a needle is inserted to allow the guidewire and delivery sheath to enter the artery with far less trauma.
For more information: www.cookmedical.com