Physicians in Australia have successfully completed the first human implantation of Cook's retrievable vena cava filter. The Cook Celect vena cava filter was used on an 81 year-old female patient hospitalized for pelvic and rib fractures. The procedure was carried out by a team led by Dr Stuart Lyon at The Alfred Hospital in Victoria.
The Celect filter is based on Cook's established Günther Tulip vena cava filter design. The company made changes to the secondary struts in the filter to improve centering in the vessel and reduce endothelization of the filter - except at the desired attachment points - to enhance its retrievability over extended periods. In animal trials, it has been retrieved without difficulty or complication after being implanted for more than one year, which may prove beneficial to human patients whose risk of pulmonary embolism has lessened sufficiently to allow the filter to be withdrawn. "Cook's Tulip filter has an excellent history of more than 12 years and tens of thousands of placements as a safe and effective vena cava filter for both permanent and temporary filtration," said Bruce Fleck, Cook's global product manager.
The placement is the first enrollment in an international clinical investigation of the Celect filter. The trial will include investigation sites in Germany, Mexico, Australia, the UK, Spain and France. Data from the trial will be used to gain approval for commercial distribution of the new filter in the US and other markets.
In addition, Cook has launched the Advance ATB PTA Dilation Catheter, a new percutaneous transluminal angioplasty balloon catheter. The improved design, derived from physicians' feedback, is optimized for ease of insertion and pullback into the sheath. It also has an increased lumen size for faster inflation/ deflation rates and a tapered tip to improve accessibility and allow dilation in confined spaces. Embedded gold markers on the catheter shaft facilitate precise positioning under fluoroscopy.
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