New PercSys Accordion(R) Stone Management Device Facilitates Endoscopic Lithotripsy Procedures

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Also Included In: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 19 Jun 2007 - 10:00 PDT

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Percutaneous Systems, Inc. (PercSys) today announced the launch of its new PercSys Accordion(R) Stone Management Device, an advanced microcatheter that features a proprietary film occlusion to prevent stone migration and facilitate fragment removal during endoscopic lithotripsy procedures.

Designed for aiding in the treatment of kidney stones in the ureter, the Accordion device combines the utility of multiple endoscopic stone management tools into a single device, and is designed to simplify and shorten endoscopic lithotripsy procedures.

"The Accordion Stone Management Device combines the benefits of a device for blocking stone migration with a basket for removing stone fragments," said Richard David M.D., Associate Clinical Professor of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. "Most importantly, it is easy to deploy even around large fragments, eliminating the challenges that occur when a fragment cannot be released from a basket. For these reasons, the Accordion is a valuable new tool with potential for routine use in lithotripsy procedures."

The key feature of the Accordion device is a multi-fold film occlusion that is deployed at its distal end. Once formed, the film occlusion conforms to and fills the ureter in order to prevent retrograde migration of stone fragments into the kidney. During stone fragmentation, the Accordion device facilitates distal rinsing of smaller fragments to keep the field of view clear.

Following fragmentation, the device can easily sweep larger fragments into the bladder or a ureteral access sheath, thereby eliminating tedious and time-consuming serial basketing of individual fragments. The robust occlusion film is able to withstand inadvertent contact with holmium laser and intracorporeal lithotripter energy.

The Accordion device is easy to place due to a hydrophilic coating that allows it to track past the stone like a guidewire. In addition, the device features radiopaque markers that enable monitoring of advancement and deployment using fluoroscopic visualization. When required, the Accordion device's telescoping design enables the film occlusion to release easily from intact stones and large fragments.

About PercSys

Percutaneous Systems, Inc. (PercSys) is a Mountain View, Calif.-based medical device company focused on developing interventional devices for the minimally invasive treatment of urologic and urogynecologic disorders. The company's goal is to develop devices for use in hospital, office and clinic environments that make urologic and endoscopic procedures easier, less traumatic, and more effective therapeutically. In this way, PercSys seeks to change the practice of urology to benefit physicians, patients and payors. For more information about PercSys and the PercSys Accordion(R) Stone Management Device, please visit:
www.PercSys.com.