Cook Medical announce first US patient treated with Zenith Alpha 2 endovascular graft

Cook Medical’s Zenith Alpha 2 (ZTA2) thoracic endovascular graft is now available throughout the United States. A company press release states ZTA2 is the first aortic device on the market that has evolved to accommodate CO₂ flushing and has an approved flushing protocol.

The press release continues, outlining that ZTA2 is the latest iteration of Cook’s original Zenith Alpha Thoracic, built on Cook’s proven Zenith graft system and deployment technology. It has the same durability that physicians have come to rely on from the original Zenith Alpha Thoracic product, now with enhanced features.

When physicians are performing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) procedures, there’s a risk of introducing air bubbles into the vascular system, which can lead to severe injury to the patient, including stroke and/or death. ZTA2 offers physicians the option to flush the device with either saline alone or saline and CO₂. Flushing with CO₂, which is denser than air, helps to displace any remaining air within the device and minimise air emboli, thereby reducing risks to the patient.

“Cook is committed to innovating and delivering products and services in the aortic space. The company is heavily investing in our aortic strategy, and we have more exciting advancements coming in the near future,” said Johnny LeBlanc, a product director in Cook Medical’s vascular division. “With its unique indication for CO₂ flushing, ZTA2 offers physicians more options for on-label procedures as part of Cook’s comprehensive portfolio of aortic products.”

In addition to CO₂ flushing, ZTA2 also comes with the following advancements:

• Changes to the gray positioner provide access to flush residual air spaces in the introduction system
• Redesign of proximal diameter reducing suture improves conformability for larger sizes
• Redesign of the bottom cap system on distal component helps avoid distal stent release failure

Since ZTA2 received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, select physicians have received early access through pre-launch partnerships with Cook. The company has congratulated Fernando Fleischman, Sukgu Han and Alyssa Pyun at Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles, USA for performing the first global implant of ZTA2 in January 2025.