FDA clears St. Jude's vascular plug

St. Jude Medical has received FDA clearance and immediately will launch the Amplatzer Vascular Plug 4 (AVP 4) for use in transcatheter embolization procedures within the peripheral vasculature.

Approximately 50,000 peripheral embolizations are performed each year in the U.S., according to the St. Paul, Minn.-based company.

The AVP 4 can provide cross-sectional vessel coverage and may be recaptured and repositioned prior to deployment, according to St. Jude. Vascular plugs assist physicians in blocking or rerouting blood flow by occluding abnormal blood vessels. The current standard of care for vascular occlusion involves placing several coils through a catheter and packing them together to block blood flow.

The Amplatzer Vascular Plug 4 received European CE Mark approval in July 2009.

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