Santa Clara, California-based Shockwave launched the intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) catheter following FDA clearance. It designed the catheter to optimize the treatment of patients with calcified femoro-popliteal and below-the-knee peripheral artery disease (PAD). That includes patients with complex chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI).

Dr. Venita Chandra, a vascular surgeon at Stanford Health Care, said that the new catheter offers “significant improvements.” The improvements could help physicians refine treatment algorithms and support challenging patients with heavily calcified disease, Chandra said.

“The catheter’s ability to treat long lesions and its extended reach enable safe and effective treatment of some of our most difficult-to-treat patients, including those with CLTI, a complicated and severe disease state with a high mortality rate,” said Chandra.