March 14, 2001

New Progreat micro catheter for intravascular diagnosis and treatment

Tokyo-based Terumo Corporation has introduced Progreat, a micro catheter for use in intravascular treatment and diagnosis of small blood vessels such as those found in the liver.

A micro catheter is a fine tube made to pass mainly through small blood vessels (1-2mm in diameter) to facilitate X-rays using contrast media, injections of anti-cancer drugs for liver cancer etc., and intravascular treatment of embolizaion.

The Progreat catheter is 0.9mm in diameter, and is fitted with a guide wire for positioning the catheter in the desired location. The catheter tube is constructed in three layers. The surface of the tube is made from a pliant material that will not damage blood vessels, covered with a hydrophilic polymer coating that becomes slick on contact with blood, making the catheter easier to insert. The middle layer is a fine metal spiral coil construction with a flexible tip that does not kink, and can be easily confirmed by X-ray. Lastly, the inner layer features a new, slicker surface for easier maneuvering of the guide wire and smoother passage of emblic material.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price is 60,000 yen, with sales of 300 million yen expected for the fiscal year 00 ended March 31, 2001.

Product Features

1. Tri-layer construction ensures flexibility of catheter tip
   The catheter tube is constructed in three layers. The surface of the tube is made of a pliant material that will not damage blood vessels, the central layer is a fine metal coil, and the inner surface of the third layer allows for even smoother maneuvering. This construction results in a more flexible catheter tip, so that the catheter can be positioned promptly and safely at the desired location, even in small peripheral vessels.
2. Unique Terumo kink-proof spiral coil construction
   Terumo's unique spiral coil construction makes the catheter exceptionally kink-proof. And by improving the glide of the internal surface, the guide wire is easier to maneuver and passes embolic material.
3. Broad internal diameter and superior resistance to pressure
   The lumen of the catheter is large, with excellent resistance to pressure. This promotes a consistent flow of contrast media, facilitating distinct imaging of the lesion.
4. Hydrophilic polymer-coated catheter tip
   In order to ensure that the catheter arrives at its destination, the tip has been treated with a hydrophilic polymer coating, which becomes slicker upon contact with blood.

Diagnosis and treatment using a micro catheter

Micro catheters are used in X-ray imaging of abdominal blood vessels, introduction of drugs such as anti-cancer medications, and in intravascular treatment of embolization.

In X-ray imaging, contrast media is injected into the blood vessels to diagnose lesions in the vascular system and surrounding organs. Because veins and arteries are not visible on X-rays, a catheter is inserted into the thoracic or femoral artery to inject the contrast media as close as possible to the diseased area, with X-ray images taken to obtain information about the area in question.

Similarly, a catheter can be used to inject anti-cancer drugs as close as possible to the cancerous cells, maximizing effectiveness and minimizing side-effects.

In cancer therapies using blood vessel embolization, a blood clotting substance is injected into the vessels that supply nutrition to the cancer cells to stop the blood flow, thus killing the cancer cells.

Currently around 110,000 intravascular treatments and diagnostic procedures are conducted each year in Japan.

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