The first commercial use of the Tack Endovascular System (Intact Vascular) has taken place in multiple hospitals within Germany. A novel therapy for dissection repair following balloon angioplasty, the Tack implant is a first-of-its kind device for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and/or critical limb ischemia (CLI).
“The Tack System provides a much needed therapeutic option for treating dissections in the superficial femoral or popliteal arteries following balloon angioplasty,” says Christian Wissgott, assistant director at Westküstenklinikum Heide in Heide, Germany. “I am very pleased with my experience using the implant and I am excited to incorporate this technology into my above and below the knee treatment algorithms going forward.”
Patients treated with balloon angioplasty frequently suffer from dissections. Often overlooked, undiagnosed and untreated, dissections can lead to acute thrombosis and arterial occlusions, which lower long-term patency rates and require repeat procedures. Designed to resolve these dissections while leaving minimal metal behind, the Tack implant is designed to preserve vessel integrity, minimise vessel inflammation and enhance blood flow.
“With the Tack System, balloon angioplasty results are improved regardless if it is drug-eluting or not,” notes Michael KW Lichtenberg, chief of the Angiology Clinic and Venous Center in Klinikum Arnsberg, Germany. “Based on my initial experience, I am confident this new paradigm of focal dissection repair will become standard of care for patients undergoing PAD interventions.”
This follows the recent news that the Tack Optimised Balloon Angioplasty II below-the-knee (TOBA II BTK) clinical trial has successfully completed enrolment, ahead of schedule.
