July 18, 2007 - Abiomed Inc. announced that its Impella 2.5 and Impella 5.0 circulatory support technologies, new catheter-based circulatory support technology for heart failure patients, have been approved for use in Canada by Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Programme (TPP). In addition, the Company also announced that the first patients in Canada have received treatment with the Impella 2.5 technology at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at Toronto General Hospital.
The Impella 2.5 is a ventricular assist catheter, which is inserted percutaneously in the catheterization laboratory (cath lab) via the femoral artery into the left ventricle. Up to 2.5 liters of blood per minute are delivered by the pump from the left ventricle into the ascending aorta, providing the heart with active support in critical situations. The system is designed to provide cardiovascular support for a high risk patient population while having their percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), such as a stent or balloon angioplasty. It can also be used to provide additional blood flow to patients with low cardiac output, such as post-cardiotomy, or to protect the muscle of the heart following a heart attack. Abiomed has completed enrollment for the pilot study of the Impella 2.5 in the United States.
Abiomed's Impella 5.0 technology consists of catheters that can be introduced percutaneously through a cut-down or surgically. These pumps can achieve flows of up to 5.0 liters per minute, and actively unload the ventricle, reducing myocardial workload and oxygen consumption while increasing cardiac output and coronary and end-organ perfusion.
For more information: www.abiomed.com
April 03, 2024 
