Cardiovascular Institute of the South and Lane Regional Medical Center will be the first in Baton Rouge to begin using the new CROSSER Catheter to expand treatment options for patients suffering from chronic total occlusions (CTO) in the arteries of the legs.

The CROSSER Catheter is a 1 mm endovascular device that is delivered to the blockage within the artery using very common guidewire techniques. The CROSSER uses high frequency, mechanical vibrations to break through the blockage in the artery allowing the guidewire to advance past the occlusion. Using this guidewire, physicians can then perform standard lesion atherectomy, balloon angioplasty and/or stent placement.

For many patients, this minimally invasive approach to CTO recanalization can eliminate the need for a potentially traumatic bypass procedure or amputation.

CTOs develop over time as plaque build-up thickens on the arterial walls, ultimately closing off the artery and causing leg pain and non-healing ulcers. CTOs are present in almost half of patients who undergo angiographic testing for peripheral arterial disease. CTOs in the legs can often lead to bypass surgery and ultimately amputation.

“For a number of patients, the new CROSSER Catheter technology can be a safe and effective alternative to bypass surgery,” says Dr. Ynus Moosa, interventional cardiologist at CIS. These are old, tough blockages but the evidence is overwhelming that opening these long-standing CTOs is very beneficial to long-term survival and overall patient health.”

Additional details on the CROSSER Catheter System can be found at www.flowcardia.com.