COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 9 -- The Spectranetics Corp. was granted European approval to market the Vitesse .9-mm disposable catheter for use in coronary angioplasty procedures. The Vitesse .9 mm is an alternative to the company's Extremer .9 mm catheter, which is an over-the-wire design that allows the physician to keep the guidewire in position during a complex procedure. The Extremer has already been approved in the US and Europe. The new excimer laser has the ability to remove blockages in small, hard-to-reach coronary vessels, the company said. The product can be used with standard angioplasty equipment, and its rapid exchange feature allows the surgeon to quickly dispose of the product during a procedure if necessary. We are pleased to have received the CE Mark of approval to market the Vitesse .9 mm catheter in Europe, said Joseph A. Largey, CEO of Spectranetics. It is an important addition to our portfolio of disposable catheter devices, because it gives physicians a choice between an over-the-wire or rapid exchange device in treating complex blockages in small, hard-to-reach coronary vessels.