Cook says that that due in part to the success of the Zenith Fenestrated AAA endovascular graft, its Zenith family of stent-grafts is now the top-selling medical device of its type in western Europe
With Zenith Fenestrated stent-graft implants doubling in three years, the innovative abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) device contributed to the Zenith family of endovascular products comprising 41% of the stent-grafts implanted in Europe during the first quarter (January-March) of 2006, company officials report.
This impressive growth follows the recent 1000th endovascular aortic repair (Evar) case in which Cook's Zenith fenestrated endovascular graft was successfully implanted in the treatment of a patient with a complex abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
The 1000th procedure was performed at the University of California San Francisco, by a team led by vascular surgeon Timothy Chuter and Darren Schneider, vascular surgeon and interventional radiologist.
About 15,000 people die each year from AAAs, with the condition being most common in men above the age of 60, and with an increased risk for those with hypertension or peripheral vascular disease.
Cook's fenestrated endograft is the first in the world to incorporate tailored openings - either a semi-circular scallop or a full-circular opening called a fenestration - in the top section of the endograft.
This allows the self-expanding, fabric-covered stent-graft to treat aortic and aortoiliac aneurysms extending close to the renal and superior mesenteric arteries, which are also stented to reduce the risk of restricting or blocking critical blood flow to the kidneys and bowel.
Every fenestrated device is custom-made to suit each individual patient's anatomy by Cook's Zenith manufacturing division in Australia.
"Our phenomenal growth shows that Cook is leading the way for better treatment of AAAs in western Europe.
"The Zenith Fenestrated AAA Endovascular Graft brings the advantages of endovascular aortic repair (Evar) treatment to a broader set of patients - those with highly demanding aneurysms who previously may not have been candidates for traditional endovascular repair," said Barry Thomas, global leader of Cook's endovascular therapy products division.
"We expect the dramatic growth to continue as a growing number of physicians across Western Europe (and indeed the world) see the Zenith Fenestrated AAA endovascular graft as an important new option for treating AAA patients who cannot be treated using standard, off-the-shelf endograft components".
Cook's Zenith Fenestrated AAA endovascular graft is an investigational device not available for sale in the USA.
It has regulatory approval for sale in Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and other major markets.
