Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) has announced the
first implant in the UK of the OMEGA(TM) Platinum Chromium Bare-Metal
Coronary Stent System which recently received CE Mark approval. The first
implant was performed by Dr Neal Uren, Consultant Cardiologist, Royal
Infirmary of Edinburgh.
The OMEGA Stent System incorporates a unique platinum
chromium (PtCr) alloy designed specifically for coronary stenting and is
intended to provide interventional cardiologists a bare-metal stent with
improved acute performance in treating patients with coronary artery disease.
"Omega is a highly deliverable stent, with fantastic conformability to
the natural shape of the vessel. The Platinum Chromium alloy also provides
excellent strength and radiopacity. In my opinion, these qualities highlight
Omega as a definite step-up in the Bare Metal stent market" said Dr. Neal
Uren
The OMEGA Stent System is part of the Company's PtCr Stent
series, which includes the TAXUS(R) Element(TM) Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent and
PROMUS Element(TM) Everolimus-Eluting Stent Systems. All three stents feature
the novel PtCr alloy and an innovative stent design, which combine to offer
greater radial strength and flexibility while reducing stent recoil. The
higher density alloy provides superior visibility while permitting thinner
struts compared to prior-generation stents[1]. The enhanced delivery system
features a dual-layer balloon and is engineered to improve access to
challenging lesions.
The OMEGA Stent is offered in 48 different sizes ranging in
diameter from 2.25 mm to 4.50 mm and lengths of 8 mm to 32 mm.
"The platinum chromium PROMUS Element Stent has been well received by UK
Interventional Cardiologists since its launch in November 2009, and we are
pleased to offer a bare-metal coronary stent built on the same PtCr
platform," said Tim Coutts, General Manager, UK Group, Boston Scientific.
"The OMEGA Stent is the latest example of our commitment to continued
innovation in coronary stenting. We are confident our platinum chromium
technology will strengthen our leadership position in the UK Interventional
Cardiology Market."
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the main causes of
death in Europe and the European Union (EU)[2]. Over a third of deaths from
CVD are from Coronary Heart Diseases (CHD). CHD is the most common cause of
death in the EU.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when atherosclerotic
plaque (hardening of the arteries) builds up in the wall of the arteries that
supply blood to the heart. The atherosclerotic process causes significant
narrowing in one or more coronary arteries - and if this is followed by the
formation of a blot clot (thrombus) on top of the plaque, the artery becomes
completely blocked which may cause a heart attack. The interruption of oxygen
and nutrition supply due to a heart attack leads to ischemia and subsequent
necrosis of heart tissue and can lead to the death of the affected person.
CAD can be treated with either combination of drug therapy and
coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention
(PCI), also known as angioplasty. PCI is the use of balloon angioplasty and
bare-metal stents (BMS) or drug-eluting stents (DES), a stent coated with a
drug. This procedure generally takes about 90 minutes and is done with local
anaesthesia on patients who are mildly sedated.
Source:
Mark McIntyre
Boston Scientific Corporation