Covidien (NYSE:COV) touted a study showing that its VenaSeal system is just as effective in treating chronic leg vein disorders as its ClosureFast ablation catheter.
The randomized study, called VeClose, tracked 242 patients undergoing treatment of the great saphenous vein, a major superficial vein of the leg. After 6 months, the vein was still closed in 98.9% of the patients treated with VenaSeal, compared with 94.3% of those treated with ClosureFast.
Covidien presented the results at the American College of Phlebology, held Nov. 6-9 in Phoenix..
ClosureFast, which has been on the U.S. market for several years, utilizes an endovenous radiofrequency ablation catheter to collapse and close enlarged veins. The VenaSeal system, meanwhile, uses a medical adhesive, which is administered through a minimally invasive procedure that does not require tumescent anesthesia.
“The VenaSeal system is the latest innovation in the evolution of minimally invasive treatment options for chronic venous disorders,” said Dr. Nick Morrison, a lead investigator for the study, in a statement. “The 6-month results of the VeClose study showed high closure rates, comparable to radiofrequency ablation. I am excited about the possibility of offering this tumescent-free treatment option to patients.”
VenaSeal has yet to win FDA approval. The product is already on the market in Europe, Australia, Canada and Hong Kong.
Covidien is slated to merge with medtech titan Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) early next year, in a deal valued at around $43 billion.
