The longer Esprit BTK system received approval for the treatment of chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), a severe form of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

CLTI can cause extreme pain, open wounds that don’t heal and, in some cases, amputation. It also delivers a 50% mortality rate while associating with poor long-term outcomes.

Abbott designed the Esprit BTK using materials similar to dissolving sutures. Unlike metal stents, it’s not a permanent implant, providing support for blocked vessels only for a few months after the blockage is cleared. At that point, the vessel can remain open on its own, while the scaffold dissolves.