Abbott announced the initiation of ABSORB BTK, an international clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) for the treatment of below-the-knee (BTK) critical limb ischemia. Critical limb ischemia, a severe form of peripheral artery disease (PAD), occurs when blocked vessels impair blood flow to the lower extremities, which can eventually lead to limb amputation. Absorb restores blood flow by opening a blocked vessel and providing support to the vessel until the device dissolves within approximately two years. The first patient was enrolled into the ABSORB BTK trial by Marc Bosiers, M.D., head of the Department of Vascular Surgery at St. Blasius Hospital in Dendermonde, Belgium.
