Innovative Crossing Catheter Tackles Critical Limb Ischemia

A new crossing catheter targets challenging ischemic lesions in the lower extremities, including those in below-the-knee (BTK) arteries.

The TOTAL across crossing catheter is intended to guide and support a 0.355 mm guidewire in order to improve blood flow through narrowed or occluded lower-extremity arteries associated with critical limb ischemia (CLI) that would otherwise be inaccessible with larger catheters. The interventional guidewires can be swapped out as necessary, and the catheter can also be used to pump through saline solutions or diagnostic contrast agents.


Feature of the crossing catheter include a spiral-cut stainless steel hypotube construction, which affords exceptional pushability and unparalleled catheter visualization, and a 0.06 mm (2-French) tapered tip that allows the catheter to cross lesions smaller than the device profile. The TOTAL across crossing catheter is a product of Medtronic (Minneapolis, MN, USA), and has received the Conformité Européene (CE) marking of approval.

“The TOTAL across crossing catheter expands our portfolio of medical devices for the interventional treatment of peripheral artery disease,” said Tony Semedo, senior vice president at Medtronic and president of the company's Endovascular Therapies business. “It's a prime example of our focus on developing lesion-specific solutions and our ongoing commitment to addressing BTK lesions specifically.”

“The TOTAL across crossing catheter represents a tangible step forward in microcatheter design, providing extraordinary support, and stability combined with one of the lowest crossing profiles available to better deal with the clinical challenge of distal BTK revascularization,” said angiologist and cardiologist Andrej Schmidt, MD, of Park-Hospital Leipzig (Germany).

CLI is a severe blockage in the arteries of the lower extremities, which markedly reduces blood-flow; it is a serious form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), but less common than claudication. PAD is caused by atherosclerosis, and results in severe pain in the feet or toes, even while resting, due to poor circulation. Complications include sores and wounds that will not heal in the legs and feet that if left untreated, could result in amputation of the affected limb.

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Park-Hospital Leipzig