BERKELEY, CA USA (UroToday.com) - January 28, 2013 - For accessing the kidney, Cook Medical adds to their Flexor®-branded devices with a new Flexor® Parallel™ Rapid Release™ Ureteral Access Sheath.
The device becomes widely available February 1, 2013 to North America, Australia, Hong Kong, Chile and Europe. According to Jean-Marc Creissel, Cook Medical’s global leader of its urology division, “This device was designed to increase safety and efficiencies as physicians can place just one wire that guides the dilator and acts as a safety wire.”
What’s different? A slit on the dilator guides the wire outside of the sheath. Once the dilator is retracted, both the sheath and wire guide remain parallel, leaving a clear work channel through the sheath.
Asked about the impact of the new U.S. medical device tax (Afforable Care Act), Creissel replied, “The price on these products will not be changing; we will be absorbing those costs,” adding, “as we unveil new products this year, each is designed to increase performance.” He notes this year is Cook Medical’s 50th anniversary and the company has more than 16,000 products. The last 37 years have included devices specific for urologists. “This year we expect to unveil several new products including a portable fiber-optics light for the Flexor® sheath.”
by Karen Roberts, medical editor, UroToday.com
