Tiny Laser Angioplasty Catheter Receives European Approval

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 8 -- Spectranetics Corp. has received the CE mark of approval for European marketing of the company's laser angioplasty catheter designed for use on small, hard-to-treat lesions in coronary arteries. Spectranetics is awaiting US marketing approval following its submission of the device to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The catheter, which is .9 millimeters in diameter, has seen successful use recently at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, British Columbia, where it was used in six angioplasty procedures performed on patients with lesions in small, tortuous vessels.