“The use of femoral catheters in patients undergoing hemodialysis is associated with an increased risk of complications including infection and iliac vein stenosis/occlusion,” stated Mathew Smeds, MD, Professor and Chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and co-author of the paper. “We report on a patient with a history of multiple central venous catheters which resulted in the development of venous occlusion and the need for the placement of their catheter in a femoral vein. Using the Surfacer System, we were able to cross the patient’s central venous occlusion and obtain central venous access which facilitated the placement of a Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow (HeRO) graft and removal of their femoral catheter.”
“Utilizing the Surfacer System to facilitate gaining central venous access and avoid the placement of a femoral catheter or transitioning a hemodialysis patient from a femoral catheter can lead to improvements in patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs,” said Gabriele Niederauer, Ph.D., CEO and President of Bluegrass Vascular. “To view our other Surfacer publications, please go to our website.”
About the Surfacer® Inside-Out® Access Catheter System
The Surfacer System is designed to reliably, efficiently and repeatedly gain central venous access by inserting the Surfacer System through the right femoral vein and navigating it up through the patient’s venous system with an exit point in the right internal jugular vein, the optimal location for placing a central venous catheter. This proprietary Inside-Out approach allows for the placement and maturation of permanent arteriovenous access options that are associated with improved patient outcomes and reduced cost of care for both hospitals and hemodialysis providers. The Surfacer System has received FDA De Novo device clearance in the US and is CE marked in Europe. The device is currently distributed in North America and Europe by Merit Medical, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical devices.
About Bluegrass Vascular Technologies
Bluegrass Vascular Technologies is a medical technology company dedicated to developing and commercializing lifesaving devices and methods that address shortcomings in vascular access procedures. For more information, please visit www.bluegrassvascular.com.
