First U.S. Hospital to Offer Less-Invasive Procedure for Select Patients with Obstructed Neck Arteries
NEW ORLEANS, LA Ochsner Health System in New Orleans conducted the first patient procedure involving the new, FDA-approved PRECISE Nitinol Stent and ANGIOGUARD Emboli Capture Guidewire carotid system. The new devices, supplied by Cordis Endovascular, a division of Cordis Corporation, are used to treat clogged neck arteries, known as carotid artery disease.. Carotid artery diseasethe buildup of plaque in major arteries of the neck that carry blood to the brainis an important risk factor for stroke, the nations third leading cause of death and a leading cause of serious, long-term disability. The American Heart Association estimates that 20 to 30 percent of strokes are associated with carotid artery disease, caused by particles of atherosclerotic plaque traveling into vessels that supply the brain with oxygen and vital nutrients. Stephen Ramee MD, Section Head, Interventional Cardiology Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Ochsner said, Based on the clinical evidence and safety profile, more and more practitioners prefer carotid stenting over endarterectomy, in appropriate cases. The Cordis carotid system is easy to prepare and use, has an excellent safety profile and good retrievability, which is important in order to protect the patients brain from embolic material. Our first case was technically challenging because the patient had difficult bends in the artery and calcium in the lesion, and the Cordis carotid system handled and deployed perfectly, crossed the lesion quite well and retrieved the embolic protection device flawlessly with visible debris, explains Dr. Ramee. Ochsners first case was performed by Dr. Ramee and Christopher J. White, MD, FACC, FAHA Chairman, Department of Cardiology, Director, Ochsner Heart & Vascular Institute. Dr. White is a world-renowned expert in carotid intervention and peripheral arterial disease. The PRECISE Nitinol Stent is a small, wire-mesh tube that props open the blocked artery and the ANGIOGUARD Emboli Capture Guidewire System is a tiny, basket-like device designed to trap any particles of plaque, blood clot, or other material that may be dislodged during stent placement. Both devices are positioned with a thin plastic catheter, which is inserted in a small puncture in the groin and advanced through major arteries to the blockage site in the neck. Once the stent is in place, the basket device is collapsed and withdrawn along with the catheter. The stent remains as a permanent implant, providing support in the carotid artery.
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