News/PR
Bay Medical Offers Newly FDA Approved Treatment For Prevention of Stroke
November 30, 2004
Panama City, Florida - Bay Medical is pleased to announce the availability of a newly FDA-approved, minimally invasive treatment for prevention of stroke in high-risk patients with carotid artery disease. The RX ACCULINK Carotid Stent System and the RX ACCUNET Embolic Protection System from Guidant Corporation are the first to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for this purpose and provide an alternative to conventional open carotid artery surgery.
Carotid artery disease involves the buildup of plaque in one or both carotid arteries in the neck. The carotid arteries supply vital oxygen and glucose-rich blood to the parts of the brain where thinking, speech, personality, and sensory and motor functions reside. These blockages can narrow and limit the supply of blood to the brain which can lead to a stroke. A stroke occurs when brain cells (neurons) are deprived of the essential oxygen and glucose needed to function and survive. If the lack of blood flow lasts for more than three to six hours, the damage is usually permanent and can be fatal. The traditional surgical treatment for carotid artery disease usually entails general anesthesia and an incision in the patient's neck and artery to remove plaque from inside the vessel wall.
In contrast, during a carotid artery stenting procedure, the embolic protection system is positioned and a stent is deployed using a catheter inserted into a small puncture in the patient's groin. The patient usually remains conscious while the stent is implanted at the site of the blockage. The stent is a mesh device that holds the narrowing artery open. The embolic protection system is designed to capture and remove particles of plaque that might be dislodged during the procedure, which could potentially lead to stroke and other complications.
ÒI'm very pleased that Bay Medical is offering this new device in the interventional lab, Ò says Dr. Harold Bradfield, Òit enables us to provide the kind of state of the art treatment for carotid artery disease that patients would otherwise have to travel out of our area to receive.Ó Physicians on staff at Bay Medical who are certified to perform carotid artery stenting procedures are Dr. Harold Bradfield, neuroradiologist; Dr. Craig Cazenave, neuroradiologist; and Dr. Scott Ramey, interventional radiologist.
For more information please contact Christa Hild at 747-6542.