Kalamazoo, Michigan Patent of the Year – 2024/2025
Vantis Vascular Inc. has been awarded the 2024/2025 Patent of the Year for an innovative catheter delivery system. Their invention, detailed in U.S. Patent No. 11903613, titled ‘Enhanced guide extension system for the efficient delivery of leads’, describes a novel over‑the‑wire catheter system combining an inner micro‑catheter and an outer peel‑away guide catheter to improve the placement of pacemaker leads in complex vessels.
The new system boosts safety and speed during lead delivery. It lets clinicians advance both catheters as a single unit to the target site. Once positioned, the inner catheter is removed and the pacemaker lead is threaded through the outer catheter. The outer catheter then splits and is quickly peeled away, minimizing vessel trauma.
This design tackles real-world challenges. Traditional guide extensions can struggle in tight or tortuous anatomy. This dual‑catheter setup offers enhanced pushability and smoother navigation. Physicians can reach secondary or tertiary vascular branches with greater control, reducing procedure time and complications.
The inventors – Tim Fischell, Frank Saltiel, Xiaoke Liu, and Jeffrey Payne – built on Vantis Vascular’s mission to make vascular interventions faster, easier, and safer. Their system has potential beyond pacemakers. It could support delivery of other devices in delicate vessels.
Vantis Vascular, Inc.’s breakthrough reflects a clear trend: medical devices that lower procedural risk while increasing clinician confidence. This patent marks a step forward for minimally invasive cardiovascular care.
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