Natick, Mass. (April 15, 2013) – Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) has acquired the fiXate™ Tissue Band and is launching the product in the United States. The fiXate Tissue Band is a novel suturing device that is designed to enable quick and simple placement of a suture to help secure a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) lead or pain pump catheter. Boston Scientific introduced the device earlier this month at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine in Fort Lauderdale. The product was purchased from Anulex Technologies, Inc.
Designed to manage chronic pain, spinal cord stimulators deliver electrical pulses from an implantable pulse generator to leads with stimulating contacts in order to mask pain signals traveling to the brain. More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, according to the Institute of Medicine. Living in constant pain for an extended period of time can have a devastating impact on quality of life.
Anchoring a lead can be a time consuming part of the SCS procedure, and lead migration resulting in the need for revision is a known complication of SCS,” said Richard Bowman, M.D., of the Center of Pain Relief in Charleston, West Virginia. The fiXate device improves the surgical technique by allowing the lead anchor to be secured tightly to tissue in a quick and efficient way with a small anchoring incision.
Bench test data show that, on average, the fiXate Tissue Band can place a suture in under one minute.The semi-automated design provides ease of use for physicians and offers a minimally invasive inline design.
We are pleased to add the fiXate device to our expanding Neuromodulation portfolio,” said Maulik Nanavaty, president, Neuromodulation, Boston Scientific. “We believe the fiXate device is a significant advance for lead securement, and this acquisition demonstrates our commitment to bringing to the market innovations that are designed to improve patient outcomes.
Indication for Use
The fiXate Tissue Band is intended to be an accessory to the leads/catheter component of Spinal Cord Stimulator/Pain Pump systems functioning to secure the lead to the fascia or inter-spinous/supra-spinous ligament.
About Boston Scientific Neuromodulation
Boston Scientific Neuromodulation is an innovation leader in implantable pain management technology. Through its investments in technology, clinical science, and world-class service, Boston Scientific Neuromodulation is committed to Innovation Focused on Pain Relief™. For more information on SCS, visit www.ControlYourPain.com. In 2004, Boston Scientific launched the world’s first rechargeable SCS device, the Precision™ System, which was also the world's first 16-contact implantable SCS device. Today, more than 60,000 patients worldwide have been treated using Boston Scientific SCS systems.
About Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for more than 30 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook.
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