MAQUET Cardiovascular Awarded Three Year Contract From HealthTrust Purchasing Group For Vascular Grafts

USA - English

WAYNE, N.J., Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- MAQUET Cardiovascular, LLC, a leading provider of cardiovascular technologies, announced today that it has signed a three year contract with HealthTrust Purchasing Group, LP to provide woven and knitted textile vascular grafts to the HealthTrust membership. The contract includes the HEMASHIELD product line and other vascular grafts, which are used to surgically repair or replace damaged blood vessels, including the aorta.

"HealthTrust Purchasing Group's decision to supply MAQUET Cardiovascular's woven and knitted textile grafts to its members is a testament to our quality products, excellent customer service and comprehensive educational programs for vascular surgeons," said Raoul Quintero, President of MAQUET Cardiovascular U.S. Sales LLC.  "This contract strengthens our position as an industry leader in vascular grafts and is expected to increase market share for our HEMASHIELD product line."

About MAQUET Cardiovascular's Vascular Grafts

MAQUET has a long history of innovation in developing vascular grafts. Its signature products are the HEMASHIELD line of vascular grafts used for surgical repair of aneurysms and occluded arteries. HEMASHIELD grafts are the most used and most studied vascular products available on the market today. More than 2 million HEMASHIELD grafts have been implanted in patients worldwide with demonstrated clinical efficacy and improved outcomes.

HEMASHIELD grafts are soft, flexible and durable. A patented technique is used for collagen-impregnation of the textile material. HEMASHIELD grafts are designed to form a blood-tight, conforming seal for improved hemostasis. HEMASHIELD grafts also have excellent biocompatibility. The unique design features of HEMASHIELD grafts help to promote tissue in-growth and natural healing; conform the graft to the host vessel for ease of suturing; and provide improved patency.

About HealthTrust Purchasing Group

HealthTrust Purchasing Group, headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., is a group purchasing organization that supports nearly 1,400 not-for-profit and for-profit acute care facilities, as well as ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, and alternate care sites. With an annual purchasing volume by its members of more than $17 billion, HealthTrust is committed to obtaining the best price for clinically-recommended products, ensuring their timely delivery and continuously evaluating and improving its services to the patients, physicians and clinicians it serves. HealthTrust is located at 155 Franklin Road, Suite 400, Brentwood, TN 37027. The Web site is www.healthtrustpg.com.

About MAQUET Cardiovascular

MAQUET Cardiovascular is a leader in providing innovative products for cardiac surgery, vascular intervention and cardiac support to hospitals and clinics and the cardiac surgeons, interventional cardiologists, perfusionists and other healthcare professionals who care for patients with cardiovascular disease. MAQUET Cardiovascular is focused on providing clinicians with future-oriented technology that fits into their daily practice and improves the therapeutic management of patients. MAQUET Cardiovascular continues to invest in the development of innovative technologies and solutions that advance clinical practice, improve patient outcomes and enhance quality of life.

MAQUET Cardiovascular was formed in 2003 when MAQUET, the world's leading medical technology company, combined its existing Cardiopulmonary business with Jostra's equipment and consumables for open heart surgery and Siemens Life Support Systems, which the publicly-listed Swedish GETINGE Group acquired in 2003. In 2008, MAQUET added the Cardiac Surgery and Vascular Interventions businesses acquired by GETINGE from Boston Scientific and Guidant. In 2009, it added the cardiac assist businesses that GETINGE acquired from Datascope. MAQUET Cardiovascular provides healthcare professionals with products in four business units: Cardiopulmonary (perfusion products), Cardiac Surgery (clampless beating heart and endoscopic vessel harvesting), Vascular Interventions (grafts for vascular surgery), and Cardiac Assist (intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation therapy).

About The MAQUET Group

The MAQUET Group is the global market leader for Medical Systems, focusing on the Operating Room (OR) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The integrated products of MAQUET are specially designed to deliver optimal clinical treatment and therapy concepts within acute care hospitals. MAQUET provides innovative medical solutions from three Divisions:

• Cardiovascular -- with products for cardiac assist (intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation therapy), coronary artery bypass surgery, aneurysm and vascular repair and peripheral interventions
• Critical Care -- for intensive care ventilators and anesthesia machines
• Surgical Workplaces -- for OR tables, lights and ceiling service units, prefabricated OR and ICU suites as well as telemedicine for the OR integration.

MAQUET is a subsidiary of the publicly-listed Swedish GETINGE GROUP, a company with over $2.8 billion in revenues (2008 fiscal year) and 12,800 employees worldwide. In 2008, MAQUET itself generated pro-forma revenues (including the acquisition of Datascope Corp.) of over $1.4 billion. The company now has 5,000 employees in 35 international sales and service organizations, as well as a network of more than 200 sales representatives.

www.maquet.com

www.getingegroup.com

MAQUET – The Gold Standard.

SOURCE MAQUET Cardiovascular, LLC