Balloon Catheter
This channel includes news and new technology innovations for angioplasty balloon catheters (PTA). These are used in arteries with atherosclerotic lesions to compress the plaque expand the artery lumen to reopen occluded or heavily stenosed atherosclerotic lesions. Balloons are often used in combination with a stent to prop the treated vessel segment open. In addition to plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), this section includes news about drug-coated balloon (DCB), valvuloplasty balloons and specialty cutting balloon.

Figure 2: Angiography demonstrates a stenotic lesion in the mid right coronary artery, undilatable by standard high-pressure balloon angioplasty (inset, arrowheads). (B) Optical coherence tomography (OCT) cross-sectional (top) and longitudinal (bottom) images acquired before IVL and coregistered to the OCT lens (arrow in A) demonstrate severe near-circumferential calcification (double-headed arrow) in the area of the stenosis. (C) Angiography demonstrates improvement in the area of stenosis after IVL (inset; note the cavitation bubbles generated by IVL [black arrows]). (D) OCT cross-sectional (top) and longitudinal (bottom) images acquired post-IVL and coregistered to the OCT lens (white arrow in C) demonstrate multiple calcium fractures and large acute luminal gain. (E) Angiography demonstrates complete stent expansion with the semicompliant stent balloon (inset) without the need for high-pressure noncompliant balloon inflation. (F) OCT cross-sectional (top) and longitudinal (bottom) images acquired post-stenting and coregistered to the OCT lens (arrow in E) demonstrate further fracture displacement (arrow), with additional increase in the acute area gain (5.17 mm2), resulting in full stent expansion and minimal malapposition.

Two device technologies raised concerns in the industry based on recently released clinical data. The Cook Zilver PTX paclitaxel-eluting peripheral stent is among the devices included in a study questioning long-term safety of paclitaxel. The Abiomed Impella RP had higher than expected mortality in its post-approval study, possibly due to poor patient selection and implanting the device too late to aid the patient.