r4 Vascular out of Maple Grove, Minnesota has released a new catheter for patients on long-term hemodialysis. The Duraspan catheter aims to prevent thrombus accumulation thanks to its biomimetic coating that discourages clot formation.
A novel coating on the catheter surface mimics the glycocalyx layer found on natural endothelial tissue surfaces in vessel walls. Laboratory tests of the Duraspan™ catheter have demonstrated an 87% reduction in platelet adhesion and thrombus accumulation compared to uncoated catheters.
R4 is committed to improving dialysis patient catheter outcomes according to r4 Vascular’s President, Don Geer, “physicians have long thought that if one was able to make the catheter less recognizable as a foreign object in the body it could revolutionize catheter-based hemodialysis. Developing the catheter, r4 Vascular engineers utilized stealth coating technologies, approaching the thrombus problem by camouflaging the catheter in a biomimetic coating.” The catheter is available in either a 3.5cm tip stagger or a 7cm tip stagger version, providing reduced recirculation.
Press release: New Dialysis Catheter Reduces Thrombus Accumulation… (.pdf)
Product page: Duraspan™ Coated Dialysis Catheter …
Duraspan Coated Dialysis Catheter product brochure…
