NATICK, Mass., Feb. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) announces the global launch of the Expect 19 Flex Endoscopic Ultrasound Aspiration Needle, used for acquiring tissue samples under Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) guidance for cancer diagnosis in organs adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract.  The Expect 19 Flex Needle is designed with a Nitinol construction for improved flexibility compared to existing EUS-Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) devices and a large diameter for expanded diagnostic capabilities. 

Endoscopic ultrasound is a non-surgical, less-invasive procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce detailed images of the gastrointestinal tract and adjacent organs, including the pancreas, liver, bile duct and mediastinal space.  To complement EUS, Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) is often used to collect tissue samples for cancer diagnosis.  Data have shown that EUS-FNA procedures are associated with improved survival rates for pancreatic cancer patients due to more informed, stage-appropriate disease management.[1]

"High-quality diagnostic samples are critical for accurately assessing malignancies and choosing the appropriate treatment path for patients," said Shyam Varadarajulu, M.D., Chief of Endoscopy, University of Alabama at Birmingham.  "The improved design of the Expect 19 Flex Needle allows for access to challenging anatomy and sampling of solid and cystic lesions where traditional needles of this size can't be used.  These new features provide an important advance in EUS-guided diagnosis."

The Expect 19 Flex Needle is made of Nitinol, which offers improved flexibility and resistance to deformation compared to traditional stainless steel needles.  The echogenic pattern provides excellent visibility and precise needle guidance within the targeted organ.  As a result, physicians may be able to more easily and accurately obtain a tissue sample.

"The Expect 19 Flex Needle provides physicians with a clinically differentiated product designed to help improve patient care," said David Pierce, President of Boston Scientific's Endoscopy Division.  "This important launch broadens our leading Endoscopy portfolio and highlights our commitment to delivering advanced technologies to diagnose gastrointestinal diseases." 

For more information on EUS-FNA procedures, visit the Boston Scientific Endoscopy Channel at www.youtube.com/bostonscientificendo.

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties.  For more information, please visit:   www.bostonscientific.com.  

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words.  These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance.  These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding new product launches, our business plans, product performance and competitive offerings.  If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements.  These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release.  As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements. 

Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors.  All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control.  For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A – Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter.  We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements.  This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.

[1] Ngamruengphong, et al. "EUS and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer: a population-based study," Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 2010. 72 (1) 78-83.

SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation