Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Vanagaram will soon start treating 100 per cent blocked arteries (CTO) with new technology device called the CrossBoss Catheter. The CrossBoss Catheter is being introduced to patients for the first time in Tamil Nadu at Apollo Speciality Hospitals.

A decade ago, most of the patients with 100 per cent blocked arteries were either managed medically or sent for surgery with long recovery times before they get back to their work. Today all these blocks can be cleared with latest advancements in angioplasty using advanced technologies that can be performed successfully in a few hours.

The Cross Boss Catheter is the latest technology introduced in India for the treatment of 100 per cent blocked arteries. This catheter is made of stainless steel braid and has a rounded tip that can be rotated in any direction. This facilitates the crossing of the 100 per cent block, either through the tough lesions or can travel behind the blocked segment and exit beyond the lesion. At this point the next novel device called StingRay Balloon is used to get back into the actual passage of the blood vessel, using specialised wires.

“Around 10 to 20 per cent of patients suffering from coronary artery disease present with 100 per cent blockage in one or two of the arteries which can be quite critical to the patients. Until now, in general the available options to treat 100 per cent blocked arteries are through cardiac surgeries. With the newer advanced technology such as the CrossBoss Catheter and the Sting Ray Balloon, we will be able to treat 100 per cent blocked arteries with utmost precision and minimum hospital stay with fast recovery in less than 3 days,” said Padmashree Dr. K.A. Abraham, director of medical services, Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Vanagaram.

“Along with minimal scarring and quicker recovery time, the now introduced devices will add a new dimension to the treatment of chronic total occlusions (100 per cent blocked arteries). This technology enhances the methods used by the Japanese cardiologists to open these blocked arteries and improves the clinical outcomes,” said Dr. Anand Gnanaraj, senior consultant interventional cardiologist at Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Vanagaram.

“The CrossBoss Catheter and the StingRay Balloon devices are being introduced to our patients for the first time in Tamil Nadu at Apollo Speciality Hospitals, Vanagaram. We have been awaiting the arrival of the devices since its FDA approval in the United States. For cardiologists who are specialists in chronic total occlusion (100 per cent blocked arteries), this device is a great tool to have and will improve outcomes significantly. More such devices are expected in the future to treat such complex problems." This procedure requires a highly skilled intervention cardiologist with expertise along with excellent critical care staff in a tertiary care hospital set up like Apollo Specialty Hospital, added Dr. Anand Gnanaraj.