Transcarotid artery revascularisation (TCAR) features in three of March’s most popular Vascular News stories, with a talk on the future of aortic repair and the announcement of a new peripheral arterial disease (PAD) vascular covered stent trial also making the top 10.
1. Single-centre analysis suggests improved longer-term outcomes with endarterectomy versus TCAR
A large, single-centre analysis has found that, despite parity between the two procedures in terms of perioperative clinical outcomes, carotid endarterectomy (CEA) was associated with a reduced rate of late stroke/death compared to transcarotid artery revascularisation (TCAR).
2. BD announces first patient enrolled in PAD vascular covered stent trial
BD has announced the enrolment of the first patient in the AGILITY investigational device exemption (IDE) study, which will assess the safety and effectiveness of the BD vascular covered stent for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
3. ISC 2024 examines TCAR ‘explosion’ alongside advances in intensive medical therapy
This year’s International Stroke Conference (ISC; 7–9 February, Phoenix, USA) hosted discussions on the current state of play in carotid stenosis treatment—and, most notably, advances that may erode the dominance of long-established carotid revascularisation procedures in the USA.
4. Personalised, precision medicine is key to the future of aortic repair
Predicting longevity in patients who may be candidates for aortic repair is challenging. This, coupled with a high and unchanging long-term postoperative mortality rate, begs the question: are patients living long enough to benefit from aortic repair? Bijan Modarai (King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK) set out and addressed this conundrum at the 27th European Vascular Course (EVC; 3–5 March, Maastricht, The Netherlands).
Data from a new study that maps out the levels at which adverse postoperative events decrease following transfemoral carotid artery stenting (TfCAS) based on depth of physician experience with the procedure represent an “absolute minimum threshold of learning,” the lead author says.
6. FastWave Medical gains third patent from USPTO for IVL system
FastWave Medical has announced the issuance of its third utility patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The newly granted patent supports the differentiated design of FastWave’s next-generation intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) system, which aims to address challenges associated with treating calcified arteries in patients with occlusive vascular disease—a condition affecting millions of people worldwide and the leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
7. Getinge and Cook Medical enter US commercial distribution agreement for iCast covered stent
Getinge and Cook Medical have made public an exclusive sales and distribution agreement for the iCast covered stent system, which recently received US Food and Drug Administration premarket approval for the treatment of symptomatic iliac arterial occlusive disease.
8. Silk Road expands TCAR portfolio with launch of tapered Enroute system
Silk Road Medical has announced the launch of its tapered Enroute transcarotid stent system to hospitals in the USA, expanding upon the company’s prior Enroute transcarotid stent system and offering additional configurations to better tailor the transcarotid artery revascularisation (TCAR) procedure to patient anatomy.
9. Endologix initiates postmarket study of the Detour system
Endologix has initiated the Percutaneous transmural arterial bypass (PTAB)1 postmarket study. This study marks the beginning of a comprehensive postmarket study aimed at evaluating the real-world performance of the Detour system in patients undergoing treatment for long complex superficial femoral artery (SFA) disease.
10. Bentley and Cook Medical enter US distribution agreement for BeBack crossing catheter
Cook Medical and Bentley recently announced a distribution agreement for the BeBack crossing catheter in the USA, with Cook assuming commercial responsibilities for the Bentley product in the coming months.
