Cordis Corporation, a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of interventional vascular technology, recently announced that the Aquatrack hydrophilic nitinol guidewire, a high-performance 0.035” guidewire for physicians performing complex percutaneous interventions, has received CE marking. Cordis Corporation has an exclusive worldwide agreement with Argon Medical, the product’s manufacturer, to market and distribute Aquatrack.
Cordis will distribute the product throughout the European Union and a number of countries in the Middle East and Africa. Aquatrack was launched in the United States earlier this year (April 2009).
According to David Burkart, director of interventional radiology, Saint Joseph Health Center in Kansas City, Missouri, “As vascular interventional procedures become increasingly complex, one of the primary tools we need is a high-performing hydrophilic guidewire. I believe that Aquatrack is the new benchmark hydrophilic guidewire in terms of coating lubricity and durability, torque response, and radiopacity.” Burkart is compensated for his time as a consultant to Cordis.
Hydrophilic-coating lubricity and durability are fundamental characteristics of a guidewire. The desired outcome is a push force that falls within clinical parameters. Aquatrack was shown to demonstrate a push force that produces the necessary outward force when pushed into a spiral, indicating a strong hydrophilic coating.
Excellent torque response
Bench top studies show that the Aquatrack Hydrophilic Guidewire has matched lubricity with other leading guidewires and has demonstrated statistically significant improvements in torque response and radiopacity enabling physicians to cross challenging lesions and successfully treat lower limb peripheral artery disease.
The Aquatrack torque response overcomes the tendency of some guidewires to produce uncontrolled movement of the wire’s tip caused by a sudden release of energy stored in the wire shaft. Aquatrack has the ability to transmit torque similar to stainless steel wires, a characteristic required in complex interventions. In addition, the radiopacity of Aquatrack demonstrates clear visibility, especially important in patients with a high body mass index or under less than optimal fluoroscopy conditions.
Hydrophilic-coating jacket adhesion is another critical component of a guidewire. The jacket must remain firmly adhered to the core wire during a procedure to prevent failure. Aquatrack demonstrates superior hydrophilic-coating jacket adhesion that is integral to interventionalists’ successful use, even in challenging lesions containing extensive irregular calcified plaque.
“Aquatrack broadens our portfolio of products, such as Outback and Frontrunner, that we provide to treat lower extremity peripheral artery disease,” said Staffan Ternström, President, Cordis Corporation, EMEA. “We believe Aquatrack will become the ‘wire of choice’ for vascular interventionalists.”
