Guerbet has announced the upcoming launch of SeQure and DraKon, two novel microcatheters for tumour and vascular aneurysm embolization procedures. The company introduced the microcatheters at GEST (Global Embolization Cancer Symposium and Technologies) 2018 US in Miami, USA.
SeQure is designed to lower the risk of non-target embolization with its fluid barrier technology with a unique filter tip designed to increase drug and embolic microsphere delivery to tumours, reducing embolic material backflow enhanced and targeted embolization.SeQure and DraKon microcatheters received US FDA clearance on 26 January 2018 for the use of infusion media into all peripheral of contrast vessels as well as drug infusion in intra-arterial therapy and infusion of embolic materials. They will be available for sale during the third quarter of 2018.
DraKon is a standard microcatheter adapted for conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) as well as simple embolization cases.
Both SeQure and DraKon offer enhanced intra-arterial navigation to interventional radiologists, with optimal combination of torqueability, pushability, trackability and visibility, and kink resistance enabling access in cases of difficult-to-navigate vascular networks and lesions.
Some examples of use may include vascular tumours and anomalies requiring treatment with catheter embolization, such as liver cancer directed therapies which include cTACE and TACE using drug-eluting beads, as well as renal and lung tumour embolization, preoperative embolization of cancer tumours, presurgical embolization of juvenile angiofibroma, uterine fibroid embolization, prostatic artery embolization for benign prostatic hyperplasia, angiomiolipomas, haemorrhages, and vascular anomalies.
“The launch of SeQure and DraKon microcatheters is an important step as Guerbet accelerates expansion beyond diagnostic radiology into the interventional imaging space. This new range of microcatheters will allow us to help interventional radiology teams deliver a higher quality of care during image-guided embolization procedures,” said Massimo Carrera, Guerbet vice president for North America.
Guerbet obtained both microcatheters in their acquisition of Israeli company Accurate Medical Therapeutics announced in January 2018.
