High Growth Potential for Carotid Stent and Thoracic Aortic Stent Gra...( Procedural growth could increase by m...),Health

Procedural growth could increase by more than 20% over the next five years,

according to Millennium Research Group

WALTHAM, Mass., May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Millennium Research Group's US Markets for Peripheral Vascular (PV) Devices 2008 report, the thoracic aortic stent graft market is poised to exceed 20% growth over the next five years. Carotid stents are another PV device segment with significant potential, although market expansion in this area is dependent on positive clinical trial data and expanded Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reimbursement.

Treatment of thoracic aortic disease, a PV condition, is expected to witness a surge over the next five years as manufacturers focus on developing aortic stent grafts specific to this indication. The thoracic aorta is extremely risky to treat surgically because of the high mortality associated with this procedure; thus, the availability of a minimally invasive alternative -- thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR)-- has garnered a lot of attention among physicians and represents a significant opportunity for market expansion. Next-generation thoracic stent grafts, and clinical trials supporting their efficacy, will expand the treatable patient population, leading to growth in procedures in excess of 20% over the next five years.

Growth in carotid artery stenting procedures slowed to less than 5% per year in 2007 due to a lack of conclusive data supporting the safety and efficacy of the procedure compared to surgical alternatives. Compounding this lack was the CMS decision to not expand reimbursement coverage to include select asymptomatic carotid artery disease patients. In early 2008, CMS decided, however, to reexamine the expansion to reimbursement. If expanded reimbursement is approved, and the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stenting Trial (CREST) trial yields favorable results for stenting, carotid stenting growth could jump
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