MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Sept. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced the global launch of the LithoVue Empower™ Retrieval Deployment Device, designed to be used with the LithoVue™ Single-Use Digital Flexible Ureteroscope and compatible nitinol retrieval basket to enable urologists to operate a ureteroscope and basket simultaneously when retrieving kidney stones via flexible ureteroscopy (URS). The LithoVue Empower Device is one of several new devices Boston Scientific is planning that addresses unmet needs and inefficiencies during stone procedures through innovation.
Until now, urologists have traditionally relied on another person during kidney stone retrieval to operate the basket used to collect kidney stones. Turning a two-person stone basketing procedure into a single-person procedure provides greater control for the surgeon, decreasing the risk of miscommunication during stone basketing without compromising time.1
"The LithoVue Empower Device is a unique tool that can improve ureteroscopic stone treatment as it puts the process of stone manipulation entirely into the hands of the surgeon," said Dr. Brian Matlaga, the Stephens Professor of Urology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and director of stone disease, James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and presenting author of the data. "Ultimately, the LithoVue Empower Device introduces a novel efficiency into ureteroscopic stone surgery, as it makes it simpler for the urologist to pick up and move a stone – a historic source of frustration for this procedure."
Data presented in a poster today by Dr. Kevin Koo, fellow at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute, showed the LithoVue Empower Device permitted a single surgeon to perform flexible ureteroscopy with stone manipulation and retrieval, using less muscular workload than a single-surgeon ureteroscopy (i.e., where a single surgeon has to operate both the ureteroscope and retrieval tool) and similar workload to two-surgeon ureteroscopy. Task completion time was also improved with LithoVue Empower over the single-surgeon model and similar to the two-surgeon model.
Using an observational research method called ethnography, Boston Scientific deployed research teams into operating rooms (ORs) around the world to study how flexible ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) procedures are being conducted and how they can be improved. A powerful insight gained from this research is that, with stone retrieval specifically, increasing surgeon control and reducing the effort required to coordinate people, tools and movements is important to urologic surgeons.2 The research showed that retrieving kidney stones is one of the most time-consuming steps during ureteroscopy procedures, making this an opportune area to improve physician control, address communication/coordination challenges and identify time savings.
"The LithoVue Empower Device was developed in direct response to a need to improve procedural bottlenecks during kidney stone removal procedures," said David Pierce, executive vice president and president, MedSurg, Boston Scientific. "We are committed to identifying and addressing unmet needs to enable healthcare providers to advance patient outcomes, reduce procedural costs, enhance quality of care and evolve the treatment of urologic and pelvic conditions."
The LithoVue Empower Device is immediately available in the U.S. and Europe. For more product and important safety information, please visit www.bostonscientific.com/LithoVueEmpower or follow Boston Scientific Urology and Pelvic Health on Twitter.
About Boston Scientific Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world. As a global medical technology leader for more than 35 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare. For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook.
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 our product launches and product performance and impact. 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; the closing and integration of acquisitions; 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.
CONTACTS
Trish Backes Media Relations 651-582-5887 (office) [email protected]
Susie Lisa, CFA Investor Relations 508-683-5565 (office) [email protected]
1 Joice GA, Ludwig WW, Schwen ZR, et al. Ergonomics and procedure time of novel retrieval deployment device for single surgeon ureteroscopy. Abstract presented at EUS Annual Meeting, May 18, 2018, San Francisco, CA. 2 Data on file with Boston Scientific.
Share this article