Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced enrollment of the first patient in the U.S. THOR IDE clinical trial, which will study an innovative combined laser atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy catheter developed by Philips, that integrates two critical PAD treatments into a single device. Procedures that previously required the use of two different devices can now be performed in a single procedure using a single device, simplifying workflows and procedures and potentially reducing the risk and improving outcomes for patients who might otherwise face multiple complex interventions.
The Cardiovascular Institute of the South in Louisiana recently completed the first case using the new laser catheter. The care team there successfully treated a 78-year-old male with peripheral vascular disease using the Philips device.
“Developing and driving clinical evidence is crucial to improving care and guiding the adoption of new technologies like the Philips laser atherectomy and lithotripsy system,” said Drs. Craig Walker, Pradeep Nair, and McCall Walker of Cardiovascular Institute of the South in Louisiana. “This trial will provide essential data to demonstrate how this combined approach can optimize procedural efficiency and patient outcomes in treating challenging calcified lesions.”
This ground-breaking first procedure not only marks the launch of the THOR IDE trial. It also showcases how this innovative new technology, which resulted from Philips’ powerful in-house development capabilities, can ease the patient experience by streamlining complex interventions into a single procedure, potentially reducing the need for multiple interventions and hospital visits.
The goal of this pivotal study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using this unique laser device — a first-of-its-kind solution that integrates laser atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy in a single device to treat complex, calcified lesions in a single procedure for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), restoring blood flow to their legs.
