Abbott launched two new products - FoxCross PTA Catheter and HI-TORQUE Versacore .035 Guide Wire - for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD), a condition that occurs when the vessels supplying blood to the legs, arms, stomach or kidneys become narrowed or blocked by plaque, restricting normal blood flow.

The FoxCross PTA Catheter is a next-generation .035 balloon dilatation catheter and is now available in the United States and Europe. The HI-TORQUE Versacore .035 Guide Wire is a peripheral guide wire for delivery of catheters, balloons and stents and is now available in the United States.

"The FoxCross PTA Catheter and Versacore Guide Wire are the most recent examples of Abbott's commitment to successful outcomes for physicians treating patients with peripheral artery disease," said Charles Simonton, divisional vice president, Medical Affairs, and chief medical officer, Abbott Vascular. "We are pleased to add these two innovative products to our broad portfolio of minimally invasive solutions for treating cardiac and vascular disease."

The FoxCross PTA Catheter is used to open peripheral arteries that have become blocked with plaque.

"A highly deliverable balloon dilatation catheter is key to successful patient outcomes. If the balloon does not cross the blockage smoothly and reliably, the procedure can take longer and may be prone to complications, as well as additional costs," said Joseph A R Cardenas, medical director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at the Yuma Regional Medical Center in Yuma, Ariz. "The FoxCross system offers superb crossability and impressive deflation times, making it suitable for challenging lesions."

FoxCross is a highly deliverable balloon dilatation catheter designed to optimize the treatment of patients with peripheral artery disease during angioplasty procedures by incorporating the latest technological advancements, including proprietary Jetcoat coating that allows for smooth device movement and enhanced deliverability; streamlined tip and crossing profile for accessing and treating challenging lesions; dual-lumen shaft with large, crescent-shaped contrast lumen for rapid inflation/deflation.

The Hi-Torque Versacore peripheral guide wire is designed for routine diagnostic and device delivery in interventional procedures. Versacore features a soft, shapeable tip to provide safe access to peripheral lesions and enhanced visibility under fluoroscopy. Versacore also offers excellent torque response, enabling the device to move consistently and easily around the bends of a patient's vascular system, even when accessing the hardest-to-reach lesions.

"The Versacore guide wire is an ideal wire because it offers excellent support, navigates difficult anatomy easily, saves time with device exchanges and simplifies the procedure. Versacore is now my workhorse wire for both diagnostic and interventional peripheral procedures," said Prakash Krishnan, assistant professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and director of Endovascular Intervention, Mount Sinai Medical Center, in New York.

FoxCross and Versacore are the latest innovations out of Abbott's robust vascular pipeline.