Guidant, HP enter agreement for guided DCA catheter; first clinical case takes place in the Netherlands.INDIANAPOLIS--(HealthWire)--Aug. 27, 1996--Guidant Corporation today announced that it has signed a joint development agreement with Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) related to Guidant's guided directional coronary atherectomy directional coronary atherectomy Cardiology A method of coronary revascularization, in which targeted atherosclerotic plaques are excised and removed. See Balloon coronary angioplasty, Coronary revascularization, Stent placement. (GDCA GDCA Georgia Department of Community Affairs GDCA Game Developers Choice Awards GDCA Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications GDCA Global Digital Currency Association GDCA Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals GDCA Great Dane Club of America, Inc. ) catheter, which is used to clear blocked arteries in the heart. As part of the agreement, HP will modify its existing intravascular ultrasound Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a medical imaging methodology using a specially designed catheter with a miniaturized ultrasound probe attached to the distal end the catheter. The proximal end of the catheter is attached to computerized ultrasound equipment. (IVUS IVUS Intravascular ultrasound, see there ) system console, as well as develop a GDCA patient interface unit and a console upgrade kit for use with Guidant's GDCA catheter and related products. Guidant will sell the HP diagnostic equipment with its GDCA catheter. GDCA combines intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) with directional coronary atherectomy (DCA (1) (Document Content Architecture) IBM file formats for text documents. DCA/RFT (Revisable-Form Text) is the primary format and can be edited. DCA/FFT (Final-Form Text) has been formatted for a particular output device and cannot be changed. ). In DCA, a physician uses a small catheter equipped with a cutting tool, which is used to increase the lumen diameter of the artery and restore blood flow to the heart muscle. IVUS provides a "live" view of the inner artery, therefore making it easier to remove the plaque during DCA. According to Ginger Howard, president of Guidant's Vascular Intervention group, this technology provides physicians with a clinical advantage that, ultimately, will benefit the patient. "GDCA is a very exciting technology that provides the unique combination of a diagnostic and therapeutic capability in one device," she said. "This will offer physicians real-time, on-line IVUS information during the actual DCA procedure." Guidant Corporation also announced completion of the first procedure using the SureCut(TM) GDCA catheter and HP's diagnostic equipment. The procedure was completed Thursday at Thoraxcenter in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Doctors Patrick Serruys and David Foley, both of the Thoraxcenter, performed the procedure along with Doctor Paul Yock yock Slang intr.v. yocked, yock·ing, yocks To laugh or joke, especially boisterously. n. A loud laugh or joke. [Imitative.] of Stanford Medical Center. "The most exciting thing about this historical event is the first use of the SureCut, which took more than five years to develop," stated Doctor John Simpson, inventor of the atherectomy catheter. "This is the birth of a new era in treating cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease Disease that affects the heart and blood vessels. Mentioned in: Lipoproteins Test cardiovascular disease ." A leader in the medical device industry, Guidant Corporation provides innovative, cost-effective products and services to the global cardiology and minimally invasive surgery minimally invasive surgery Laparoscopic surgery, see there. See Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. marketplaces. Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 110,800 employees and had revenue of $31.5 billion in its 1995 fiscal year. CONTACT: Guidant Corporation, Indianapolis Ronda Prothro, 408/235-3420 Robert E. Allen, 317/971-2031 |
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