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Pathway Medical Technologies Announces First U.S. Patient Treated With Jetstream(TM) Pathway PV(TM) Atherectomy System

Posted on: Wednesday, 17 September 2008, 09:01 CDT

Pathway Medical Technologies, Inc., an innovator of endovascular treatments for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), today announced that doctors at St. John Hospital and Medical Center (SJH&MC) in Detroit have treated the first patient in the United States with the Jetstream(TM) Pathway PV(TM) Atherectomy System, a peripheral atherectomy catheter designed to remove artery-clogging plaque for patients suffering from PAD in the lower limbs. Recently cleared by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Jetstream is the first atherectomy device on the market capable of treating an entire spectrum of disease found in the PAD patient, including hard and soft plaque, calcium, thrombus and fibrotic lesions with consistent clinical results.

"Jetstream represents an innovative and minimally invasive solution to clear blockages in the peripheral arteries, restoring blood flow and effectively treating the disease," according to Thomas Davis, M.D., SJH&MC cardiologist and the first doctor to treat a patient using Jetstream.

PAD is a potentially life-threatening condition that affects approximately 12 million Americans, many of whom go undiagnosed. Commonly associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and aging, PAD causes a build-up of plaque in the artery walls and blocks blood flow to the extremities. PAD can lead to severe limb pain, non-healing ulcers and critical loss of blood flow to the limbs and, if left untreated, can lead to gangrene, amputation and even death. The most common treatments for PAD often include highly-invasive procedures such as bypass surgery. Unfortunately, many patients are poor surgical candidates for whom these invasive approaches can be life threatening.

Jetstream consists of a sterile, single-use catheter and control pod and a reusable, compact console that mounts to a standard I.V. stand. The catheter has an expandable cutting tip with rotating blades that can safely debulk and preemptively remove both hard and soft plaque, as well as calcium, thrombus and fibrotic lesions. Excised tissue and thrombus are continually aspirated from the peripheral treatment site through ports in the catheter tip to a collection bag located on the console. The distal portion of the catheter also possesses infusion ports that provide continuous infusion of sterile saline during the atherectomy procedure. Active aspiration is a safety feature that minimizes the risk of distal embolization.

With the potential to reduce procedure time and minimize trauma to the arteries inherent with more invasive treatments, Jetstream offers renewed hope for patients and the benefits of a minimally invasive treatment option, including faster recovery and decreased systemic complications.

About St. John Hospital and Medical Center

St. John Hospital and Medical Center (SJH&MC), a regional destination hospital for leading-edge medical care and technology, is a member of St. John Health and the St. John Health Heart Care Network, the largest provider of inpatient care in southeast Michigan and one of the largest employers in metro Detroit. SJH&MC is a nationally recognized leader in cardiovascular care and is ranked as one of the top 100 hospitals in the United States for heart care, according to the Thomson 100 Top Hospitals: Cardiovascular Hospitals(R) Benchmarks for Success study, which identifies those hospitals that have achieved excellence in care, efficiency of operations and sustainability of cardiovascular performance. St. John Health provides comprehensive prevention, primary care and advanced treatment programs with more than 125 medical centers, and seven hospitals spanning five counties. For more information, please visit: http://www.stjohn.org/default.aspx.

About Pathway Medical Technologies, Inc.

Pathway Medical Technologies, Inc. was founded to design, market and manufacture medical devices for the treatment of arterial disease. The company's initial focus is treating peripheral arterial disease (PAD) more quickly and effectively than existing technologies. An estimated 12 million people are afflicted by PAD in the U.S. and that number is projected to grow to over 20 million during the next 10 years. The company's Jetstream device allows for a minimally invasive procedure designed to restore circulation in the peripheral arteries by removing both hard and soft diseased tissue. For further information, visit the company's Web site at www.pathwaymedical.com.

 Media Contact: Marisa Borgasano or Kena Hudson Schwartz Communications for Pathway Medical Technologies Tel: (415) 512-0770 PathwayMedical@schwartz-pr.com

SOURCE: Pathway Medical

Source: MARKET WIRE

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