Medtronic initiates US launch of Fortrex PTA balloon

1903

Medtronic has launched the Fortrex over-the-wire (OTW) percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon catheter. Fortrex utilises a high pressure balloon to break up the blockages and open the vessels to help maintain arteriovenous access in the peripheral vascular system.

“Being able to maintain arteriovenous access for patients receiving haemodialysis for renal disease and kidney failure is critical as it is a patient’s lifeline,” said Brian L Dunfee, interventional radiologist, Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, USA. “In the past, other high pressure balloons could lose their shape, making it challenging to focus the pressure on the lesion that was blocking the arteriovenous access. Fortrex’s rated burst pressure provides me with a predictable and efficient solution to crack the short, fibrous lesions to restore access.”

The Fortrex PTA balloon can be used to maintain arteriovenous access in patients receiving haemodialysis for chronic kidney disease or end stage renal failure. In some cases, patients receiving haemodialysis will develop plaque blockages at the dialysis site, which can limit access. The Fortrex balloon’s material and design permit shape retention at rated burst pressure, ensuring focused pressure on the lesion for controlled, targeted and predictable treatment.

Additionally, the balloon has been engineered with a low tip entry profile and robust, flexible shaft to enable tight tracking to the wire and successful navigation in tortuous vessels. The balloon material and wall thickness enables reliable balloon rewrap and reinsertion. This, combined with its rapid deflation time, improves efficiency of the procedure.