Abbott Laboratories announced that the recent launch of the Perclose A-T (Auto-Tie), the latest generation in suture-mediated vessel closure systems from Abbott Vascular Devices, Abbott's cardiovascular device franchise.

While Abbott Vascular Devices' suture-mediated closure has been known for a secure close after cardiac catheterization procedures, many physicians had considered tying the knot the most difficult step of the procedure. By eliminating knot tying, the new Perclose A-T provides an added convenience for clinicians and helps to reduce the vessel closure procedure time.

"I like the security of the stitch, and because the knot is pre-tied, Perclose A-T lets me close the artery quickly and easily, leaving nothing inside the vessel," said Richard Fortuna, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of the cardiovascular laboratory, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, California. "My patients have started to ask for the product by name, because they know it allows them to leave the hospital sooner and resume their normal activities."

Since the launch of the first Perclose system in 1994, suture-mediated closure technology has enabled physicians to quickly stop the bleeding after cardiac catheterization by providing definitive closure at the puncture site in the femoral artery. During these procedures, a long, thin tube (called a catheter) is threaded through a major artery in the leg to diagnose or treat certain problems with the heart and its blood supply.

Recently published research from the American Heart Association indicates that more than 61 million Americans have cardiovascular disease and more than 1.5 million cardiac catheterizations are conducted in the U.S. each year.

Traditionally, doctors have used various methods of applying compression to close the opening to the artery, including direct pressure, sandbags or mechanical clamps. While many hospitals still rely on manual compression and the body's natural clotting ability for vessel closure after catheterization, physicians and nurses who have employed Abbott Vascular Devices' suture-mediated closure products recognize that, by using these devices, patient recovery can be improved and hospital stays shortened. Suture-mediated closure provides time savings versus many other methods of achieving homeostasis, including manual compression, which can take up to 45 minutes per patient. In addition to increased patient comfort, studies have demonstrated cost savings for hospitals by allowing patients to go home sooner and requiring less nursing time for post-procedure monitoring.

"The Perclose A-T is the most recent example of Abbott Vascular Devices' commitment to addressing the needs of physicians and improving the care of people with cardiovascular disease," said Chip Hance, vice president, Vascular Devices, Abbott Laboratories. "The security of a stitch and the potential to reduce hospital stays after a catheterization procedure are powerful benefits for physicians, nurses and, most importantly, their patients."

Abbott Vascular Devices, Abbott's cardiovascular device franchise, headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a medical technology pioneer that combines its entrepreneurial spirit with Abbott's pharmaceutical heritage to deliver specialized treatment options that are designed to improve the care of people with cardiovascular disease. Abbott Vascular Devices brings the best of these backgrounds together to develop vessel closure, coronary stent and embolic protection technologies that address the specialized needs of cardiovascular disease treatment.