ASAP Aspiration Catheter and Kit

Merit Medical, Inc. (South Jordan, UT) introduces the ASAP aspiration catheter and kit. The ASAP is designed for the quick removal of fresh, soft emboli and thrombi from vessels of the arterial system. The ASAP is a dual-lumen 12-cm rapidexchange– length catheter with related accessories and should be used with a guiding catheter that is > 6 F (0.070-inch inner diameter). The ASAP kit has all the necessary components to perform a catheter aspiration procedure safely, quickly, and effectively, the company stated.

Exoseal Vascular Closure Device

The Exoseal vascular closure device (Cordis Corporation, Bridgewater, NJ) is FDA cleared for use in diagnostic and interventional procedures, making use of key technological developments to support the clinical safety of the closure procedure. In the ECLIPSE trial, Exoseal use was associated with no embolization, infection, or other major adverse events, comparable to manual compression (despite the significantly shorter time to ambulation for Exoseal). The bioabsorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) plug, which is designed to close the femoral artery puncture site with minimal or no inflammation, is fully reabsorbed in 60 to 90 days. PGA is a noncollagen plug material that is metabolized to carbon dioxide and water. A system of deployment through the existing procedural sheath helps make Exoseal quick, easy to use, and convenient because there is no need for sheath exchange during the procedure, the company stated. The device uses visual indicators to help the physician deploy the device correctly. This visual feedback also promotes patient comfort during deployment by minimizing tugging and pulling, and the Exoseal lockout system helps clinicians to achieve proper extravascular plug placement.