Cook Medical: Vein Replacement Implant

2023: Start of vein replacement implants

On April 28, 2023, the American company Cook Medical announced the first operation to install an innovative implant replacing the venous valve. The device is intended for therapy of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI).

In patients with CVI, the outflow of blood through the deep veins of the lower extremities is impaired. In a mild form, the disease causes discomfort, swelling and increased fatigue. In severe form, it is expressed in pigment disorders and causes trophic ulcers. Moreover, in some cases, the disease can lead to the need for amputation of the limb. According to statistics, about one in twenty adults in the world suffers from CVI.

Implants started

The implantable device, developed by Cook Medical and Cook Advanced Technologies, functions similarly to a natural venous valve. The product has a patented design that simulates the structure of a natural structure. The first operations for the implantation of the novelty are carried out as part of clinical studies focused on assessing safety, effectiveness, pain, etc.

When the veins of the legs do not function well, patients suffer from swelling, pain and ulcers. They are threatened by disability and possible amputation. Therefore, it is important to resume the flow of blood from the veins of the legs back to the heart. To successfully solve this problem, it is necessary to restore the functions of the venous valves, "said Dr. Paul Gagne, head of the study.

The first artificial venous valve implantation operation was performed under local anesthesia. The procedure took only a few minutes. The patient was operated on by Dr. Mauricio Alviar, a vascular surgeon and principal investigator at the Clinica de la Costa clinic in Barranquilla (Colombia). In the future, clinical studies of the product will continue.^[1]

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