Boston Scientific has launched new Kinetix Guidewire for use in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures. Guidewires are small flexible wires which physicians use to deliver interventional devices such as drug-eluting stents.

The Kinetix Guidewire features a micro-cut nitinol sleeve designed for improved torque control compared to conventional spring coil guidewires. Boston claimed that the Kinetix Guidewire represents the first major advance in coronary guidewire technology in nearly a decade. The company will begin a phased launch of the Kinetix Guidewire immediately and expand to full product availability by next quarter.

The Kinetix Guidewire builds on Boston Scientific’s Synchro Guidewires used in neurovascular interventions. The micro-cut nitinol sleeve and a nitinol distal core are designed to provide torque transmission and flexibility while providing a soft distal tip that physicians often demand in a workhorse guidewire.

Boston said that the responsiveness and maneuverability of the Kinetix Guidewire is designed to deliver enhanced performance, safety and ease of use, benefiting both patient and physician.

Hank Kucheman, executive vice president and president of Boston Scientific’s Cardiology, Rhythm and Vascular Group, said: “We’re pleased to begin offering this innovative technology that should help physicians simplify coronary angioplasty procedures,” “Kinetix reinforces our commitment to providing improved treatment options that promote better patient outcomes.”

Joseph DeGregorio of Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, New Jersey, said: “The Kinetix Guidewire provided exceptional torque and flexibility. It’s rare to find a workhorse guidewire that combines outstanding deliverability of the wire, support for device deliverability and an excellent safety profile. The availability of Kinetix is welcome news for interventional cardiologists and their patients.”