Gore launches anti-migration assurance program for Viabil stent

W.L. Gore & Associates said today it launched an Anti-Migration Assurance Program for its Viabil short wire biliary endoprosthesis through which it will provide replacement devices for patients whose device moves out of place within a year of implantation.

The Flagstaff, Ariz.-based company said the short wire biliary endoprosthesis has an average migration rate of 0.2%, touting the device as being the only “fully covered metal stent with demonstrated low migration and high long-term patency.”

“Reintervention with additional stents and additional procedures increases the patient’s risk of complications that can include infection or other complications from ERCP. For a patient with malignant strictures in the biliary tree, that additional hospital time takes away from their quality of life, increases their costs and the provider’s costs, and causes undue suffering for a person who may be undergoing cancer treatment. The extremely low migration rates of the Gore Viabil Short Wire Biliary Endoprosthesis help me limit patients’ risks and keep their quality of life and satisfaction with their outcomes as high as I am able, and I am pleased to see that performance now backed by Gore’s cost-reducing Anti-Migration Assurance Program,” Dr. Todd Baron said in a prepared statement.

“We design our biliary devices to offer the lowest migration rates and highest patency rates in the industry. To help physicians minimize the overall cost of biliary cancer care while limiting the impact of treatment on patient quality of life, we are proud to be able to provide an even higher level of reassurance with our new Anti-Migration Assurance Program,” Gore general medical products division biz lead David Lane said in a press release.

In August, Gore released preliminary data from a trial of its Viatorr Tips endoprosthesis with controlled expansion, touting reduced portal hypertension treatment complications when compared to the company’s legacy Tips device and bare metal stents.