Abbott Proves That Size Does Matter

Abbott churned out an impressive number of new products last year, and our 2017 Medtech Company of the Year doesn't appear to be slowing down any. This week FDA approved Abbott's new pediatric mechanical heart valve, which is the first device of its kind that is small enough to be used in newborns and infants. Learn about the latest trends in medical device R&D and product development at BIOMEDevice Boston, April 18-19, 2018. Use promo code "MDDI" for 20% off conference registration and free expo access. Previously, surgeons could only use a range of larger-sized valves to replace a pediatric heart valve, Abbott said, and larger valves are often not suitable given the smaller size of children's hearts. This dime-sized valve provides a new treatment option for the world's tiniest heart patients. The company noted that congenital heart defects affect nearly 1% (about 40,000) births a year. This new device provides an option for children who have a poorly functioning valve that cannot be repaired, Abbott said. "In my practice, I want to be able to provide a treatment option that works for a critically ill child when a larger-sized valve may not be suitable," said Kirk Kanter, MD, professor of surgery and director of the Heart Transplant Program at Children's Healthcare in Atlanta at Emory University School of Medicine, which was the top enrolling site for the trial that led to FDA approval of device. "The approval of this smaller pediatric mechanical heart valve provides su...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: Cardiovascular Source Type: news