Baylis Medical Introduces ProTrack Guidewire for Transseptal Procedures in Europe

July 1, 2014—Baylis Medical announced that the first cases in Europe using the ProTrack “pigtail-wire” guidewire were performed last month at St George’s Hospital in London, United Kingdom. The company will commence a launch across Europe in the next few months. The ProTrack device is approved in the European Union for transseptal procedures. 

According to Baylis Medical, the ProTrack pigtail wire is specifically designed for transseptal procedures. The device incorporates a stiff body with a soft curling pigtail-like tip. The purpose of this dual design is to provide the support needed to advance any transseptal sheath into the left atrium while reducing the risk of inadvertent perforation. 

The company noted that certain patients have highly resistant cardiac tissue, in which physicians are normally required to apply strong pressure on catheters and guidewires, thereby increasing the risk of inadvertent perforation. The Baylis ProTrack wire’s design minimizes this risk by providing more control. 

As explained by Baylis, the transseptal procedure is a challenging and specialized technique used to place treatment catheters into the left atrium of the heart for atrial fibrillation ablation procedures and other emerging cardiac interventions, such as left atrial appendage occlusion and mitral valve repair.

In the company’s press release, Riyaz Kaba, MD, an electrophysiologist at St. George’s Hospital, commented, “The ProTrack pigtail wire worked very well in our initial experience. The design combines a strong core in the body of the wire with a soft, curled tip. The strong core provides the strength needed to cross a challenging septum while the soft tip is atraumatic to the left atrium."