Biotronik has launched the Micro Rx novel rapid exchange microcatheter to enhance guidewire support during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in the USA.
The device, distributed by Biotronik and manufactured by Interventional Medical Device Solutions (IMDS), is the fourth IMDS product Biotronik has brought to the USA, including the NHancer Rx, TrapIT, and ReCross catheters.
The Micro Rx catheter features a reinforced distal shaft with a core wire between two layers of braids for optimal push transfer and a tapered tip with the market’s smallest tip leading edge for high penetration force. Additionally, it features a proximal-end-stop that allows for integration of a guide extension catheter to gain additional support. The Micro Rx catheter is commercially available today in the USA and in March 2024 in Canada.
Ashish Pershad (Chandler Regional Medical Center and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, Gilbert, USA) one of the first users of the MicroRx catheter, said: “It provides good support and has a low profile allowing for great tip control for coronary guidewires in complex lesions. Not having to switch out your OTW [over-the-wire] catheter after you cross a difficult lesion is a huge convenience in an era where 190 cm wires are the norm in most cath labs.”
The Micro Rx catheter is designed to prioritise user-friendly intervention, eliminating the need for trapping. This approach aims to mitigate the risk of vascular trauma during procedures, subsequently reducing the overall duration of patients’ exposure to the cath lab environment and associated risks, Biotronik said in a press release. It has the potential to enable non-chronic total occlusion (CTO) operators to successfully treat more complex anatomies.
“IMDS has invested its expertise and dedication into the development of the Micro Rx catheter, with a specific focus on alleviating challenges in PCI,” said Ryan Walters, president at Biotronik USA. “This has resulted in a state-of-the-art solution, benefiting both physicians and the patients. We are proud to bring this innovation to the US market.”
