Arizona Heart Institute surgeons have enrolled first patient in Anaconda Phase II Study using Terumo Corporation's Vascutek Anaconda Stent Graft System in the US.

Julio Rodriguez-Lopez, M.D., Vascular Surgeon, Arizona Heart Institute and Arizona Heart Hospital, and National Principal Investigator is leading the study in US. The Anaconda Stent Graft System has the potential to treat patients with infrarenal AAAs, said Dr. Rodriguez. In commercial use outside the US Phase II study, this stent graft has been shown to be flexible and repositionable. These are important features when treating patients with infrarenal AAAs, continued Rodriguez.

Experience with the device, which has been used commercially in nearly 4000 patients in Europe, has been very positive, said Donald B. Reid, M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, and Chairman of Vascular Surgery with Wishaw General Hospital and University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK., after attending the procedure at Arizona Heart Hospital.