First Atherectomy Performed With Spectranetics’ Turbo-Tandem Device

Spectranetics out of Colorado Springs, Colorado has just announced the first clinical use of the company’s new Turbo-Tandem™ System for removal of calcified plaques in obstructed infrainguinal arteries. The system has already received US and EU approval, and the company will be rolling out the product for global sales.

The Turbo-Tandem System is a single-use, disposable device indicated for atherectomy of infrainguinal arteries. It is comprised of two integrated catheters, a 7 French laser guide catheter in combination with a 2.0mm excimer laser ablation catheter, and is designed to perform atherectomy and ablation of plaque in arterial lesions above the knee, primarily within the superficial femoral and popliteal arteries.
The first procedure in the EU took place on July 6th at Park-Krankenhaus Leipzig-Sudost GmbH in Leipzig, Germany and was performed by Dr. med. Matthias Ulrich in collaboration with Professor Dr. med. Dierk Scheinert. A 23 cm restenotic obstruction in the proximal superficial femoral artery was treated with a Spectranetics Turbo Elite® 2.0mm excimer laser catheter to create a pilot channel through the occlusion, followed by four passes of the Turbo-Tandem to atherectomize the two separate target treatment segments. After completion of the laser atherectomy and adjunct angioplasty, distal runoff was excellent with brisk TIMI 3 blood flow and no evidence of embolic impact. Following the procedure, Dr. Ulrich and Professor Scheinert commented: "The newly integrated Turbo-Tandem device allowed us to easily direct the laser catheter tip and deliver the laser energy accurately at the complex plaque burden. In comparison to the previous version of this catheter, the Turbo-Booster®, the set-up time was fast, the device was easier to manage, and the luminal gain exceeded our expectations. Overall, we are very satisfied with the performance of the Turbo-Tandem System."
The Turbo-Tandem was introduced to the US market with two procedures on July 8th and 9th which were presented to the attendees and faculty at the New Cardiovascular Horizons (NCVH) conference in New Orleans. The first case was performed by Professor Scheinert and was televised live via satellite from Leipzig, Germany. The second case, which was the first Turbo-Tandem case in the United States, was performed by Dr. Craig M. Walker, Founder and Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Institute of the South at Houma, LA and was also televised live to the NCVH conference. Dr. Walker treated a 95% discrete proximal lesion in the superficial femoral artery, debulking and atherectomizing the lesion utilizing four quadrant passes followed by circumferential passes. Post-treatment, angiography confirmed a sizable luminal gain, with excellent distal runoff and no evidence of embolic impact. After the procedure, Dr. Walker stated, "I have had extensive experience with the Spectranetics Turbo-Booster® to treat disease in the superficial femoral and politeal arteries, and the Turbo-Tandem is a significant improvement to the original design. It is a lower-profile 7 French system, is very easy to use, and I encountered no slippage of the catheter as I maneuvered it through the stenotic segments of the artery. This is a very useful device for ablating plaque in the large arteries above the knee."

Press release: Spectranetics Announces First Human Uses of Turbo-Tandem(TM) System…