The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle has become the first in the UK to implant the Esprit BTK everolimus-eluting resorbable scaffold system (Abbott), a press release reports.
The Esprit BTK system, which was approved for use in Europe in August, is a minimally invasive option for the treatment of below-the-knee (BTK) peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
According to Abbott, Esprit BTK is the first dissolvable stent of its kind for use below the knee in the UK. The first procedure was carried out by James McCaslin (Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK), consultant vascular surgeon and president of the British Society of Endovascular Therapy (BSET). He said: “This new stent provides a fantastic option for the treatment of artery disease below the knee, which often threatens the life of the lower leg.”
Abbott shares that the Esprit BTK is being rolled out across various centres in the UK, including St Thomas’ Hospital in London, Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.
“We’re proud to introduce the Esprit BTK system to patients in the UK, we believe this technology represents a real breakthrough in vascular care,” said Jonathan Wood, regional director, Abbott Vascular, North Europe. “We’ve designed this technology to not only open and support blood vessels as they heal, but to also deliver a drug that helps prevent future plaque build-up—which can exacerbate issues for the patient. Once it’s done its job, the device is naturally reabsorbed by the body, leaving nothing behind.”
