September 22, 2009 – Physicians can now navigate even the most tortuous anatomy with greater speed and safety with the next-generation inferior vena cava (IVC) filter delivery system introduced today by Cook Medical at TCT 2009. The release of the NavAlign delivery system marks the 20th anniversary of Cook’s first IVC filter and further advances the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), a life-threatening condition caused by blood clots in the lungs that affects thousands of Americans annually.
PE occurs when a blood clot dislodges from the wall of a vein and migrates to the lung, where it blocks blood flow in the pulmonary artery. It is often a deadly complication of venous thromboembolism (VTE), clots in the veins that typically occur in patients immobilized by disease, injury or relatively minor surgeries like knee replacements and gastric bypass. Untreated, these clots will kill one out of three individuals. Positioned in the main vein that collects blood from the lower part of the body, IVC filters are designed to catch the blood clots before they get to the lungs. Traditionally they are placed using fluoroscopy by threading a catheter guided through the veins.
The NavAlign delivery system, available for both the Cook Celect
and Günther Tulip filters, is designed to minimize trauma and streamline filter placement with features unavailable on any other existing deployment system. A hemostatic valve minimizes blood loss at the point of entry, while a multipurpose dilator has radiopaque sizing bands and flushing sideports that decrease fluoroscopy time and the amount of contrast medium required.
Since 1989, when Cook brought the Bird’s Nest IVC filter to the U.S. market, Cook products have helped to prevent PE in more than 200,000 patients.
For more information: www.cookmedical.com
April 25, 2023 
