Covidien reports six-month plaque excision study results

Covidien has reported six-month results from a study assessing the effectiveness of plaque excision as a frontline therapy for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease.

The study is evaluating the one-year patency rates in patients with claudication and limb salvage in patients with critical limb ischaemia after treatment with Covidien's catheter-based SilverHawk/TurboHawk plaque excision systems.

Of the 800 patients enrolled, 624 patients had a six-month follow-up. Of these, primary patency in claudicants was 94.1% and freedom from major unplanned amputation of the target limb at six months in critical limb ischaemia patients was 97.3%.

The final results at 12 months will be available in 2012.