Photo: Medtronic
Oct. 25, 2025 — Medtronic plc has announced the launch of the Stedi Extra Support guidewire, designed to enhance performance of the Evolut transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) platform — and compatible with all commercially available TAVR systems — for patients with severe aortic stenosis.The announcement took place at the 2025 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference in San Francisco, Calif.
Severe aortic stenosis occurs when the aortic valve leaflets become stiff and thickened and have difficulty opening and closing, making the heart work harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. Severe aortic stenosis often reduces a patient's quality of life and limits their daily activities. If left untreated, patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis can die from heart failure in as little as two years.1The Evolut TAVR system provides a minimally invasive solution for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis patients across all risk categories (extreme, high, intermediate, and low).
Engineered to complement the Evolut platform, the Stedi guidewire delivers enhanced support for stability, safety and predictability during valve deployment2 without requiring changes to implant technique. Developed specifically for TAVR procedures, Stedi combines a stiff proximal main body, gradual stiffness transition, and distal curve designed for stability, predictability and safety.
“The Stedi Extra Support guidewire represents a meaningful advancement in TAVR,” said Tanvir J. Bajwa, MD, interventional cardiologist at Advocate Health. “It enhances stability and predictability during valve deployment, especially when paired with techniques like simplified cusp overlap, and reinforces procedural consistency with the Evolut platform. This innovation supports more predictable outcomes and the precision we strive for in treating patients with severe aortic stenosis.”
Bench testing in a simulated anatomy has demonstrated that use of the Stedi guidewire, during deployment, when compared to less supportive wires with the Evolut platform, provides a reduction in ventricular movement, improved stability and a more coaxial deployment.3 Additionally, when used with the cusp overlap technique, extra support guidewires have been shown to be associated with a lower rate of permanent pacemaker implantation at 30 days.4
“We continue to build a meaningful portfolio of procedural solutions which improve long-term outcomes for patients with aortic stenosis and advance the future of TAVR,” said Jorie Soskin, vice president and general manager of the Structural Heart business within the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. “The Stedi guidewire is a complementary addition to our growing TAVR portfolio—purposefully designed to meet the evolving needs of physicians today and for the future, delivering enhanced stability and predictability while seamlessly integrating into existing Evolut workflows. Its thoughtful design supports procedural precision that can help drive improved patient-specific outcomes.”
The Stedi Extra Stiff Guidewire has U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance and is currently available in the United States.
For more information, visit https://medtronic.com/content/dam/medtronic-wide/public/united-states/products/cardiac-vascular/cardiovascular/guidewires/stedi-extra-support-guidewire-brochure.pdf
1Ross J Jr, Braunwald E. Aortic stenosis. Circulation. July 1968; 38(1 Suppl):61-67
2 Medtronic data on file compared to competitor wires. Bench testing may not be indicative of clinical performance. Stiffness comparison, Deployment Stability, tests D01238423, Shape Retention tests D01312415. Competitor wires tested include Boston Scientific Safari wire, Boston Scientific Safari2 wire, Medtronic Confida wire, Symmedrix Innowi wire.
3 Medtronic data on file compared to competitor wires.†,‡ Bench testing may not be indicative of clinical performance. Stiffness comparison, Deployment Stability, tests D01238423
4 Yakubov S J, Optimize PRO Study: Global Standardized TAVI Technique and Care Pathway Results . Presented at London Valves; Nov 2024
November 14, 2025 
