Medtronic Begins International Launch, U.S. Clinical Trial for Stent Graft

Medtronic received CE Marking for its Endurant abdominal stent graft system and has performed its first implants with the device in a U.S. clinical trial.

The system is used to make aortic repairs in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms, particularly for patients whose aortas are highly angulated or whose aneurysms have short necks. The company said it is planning to launch the product internationally this month.

The system still is considered investigational in the U.S., where the first patients have been implanted with the device in a clinical trial that is set to enroll 150 subjects at up to 30 sites.