TechByte

EuroCor Pioneers Aortic Valvuloplasty Using Drug Eluting Balloon DIOR

EuroCor GmBH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Opto Circuits (India) Limited (OCI) and a leading manufacturer of healthcare devices, recently announced that its 'paclitaxel eluting valvuloplasty balloon' was the first ever to be used for Aortic Valvuloplasty on 26 September, 2008 in Athens (Greece) during the Athens Interventional Cardiovascular Therape-utics (AICT).

The procedure was successfully performed by Dr K Spargias at Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre, Athens on a patient with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who could not be put under general anaesthesia for surgical or transpical valve replacement.

Said Vinod Ramnani, Chairman & Managing Director, OCI, "We are delighted to report that the procedure was successful and the patient is recovering well. Through this clinical procedure we hope to expand the life expectancy of patients in poor heart conditions. Eurocor is working on the availability of this product worldwide."

Aortic valvuloplasty is the repair of a stenotic aortic valve using a balloon catheter inside the valve. The balloon is placed into the aortic valve that has become stiff from calcium build up. The balloon is then inflated in an effort to increase the opening size of the valve and improving blood flow.

EH News Bureau