The Vascular Institute at AMI Vineland becomes the first practice in the South Jersey/PA region to successfully place this new dissolvable stent from Abbott, and one of the first outpatient centers nationwide to do so.
(Vineland, NJ) – The VascularInstitute at Atlantic Medical Imaging (AMI) announced it successfully implanted Espirit™ BTK System, a first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent for people with the most extreme form of limb-threatening peripheral artery disease (PAD) for arteries below the knee. Dr. Mike Watts successfully placed this novel stent during treatment of a patient with Chronic Limb Threatening Ischemia (CLTI).
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) in April 2024, the Espirit BTK System is designed to keep arteries open and deliver a drug called everolimus to support vessel healing prior to dissolving.
“We were happy to have been a part of the clinical trial evaluating this cutting-edge technology and are pleased to have helped Abbott obtain their FDA approval. This bio-resorbable stent is truly a major step forward in below-the-knee treatment of CLTI” said Dr. Nicholas Petruzzi, Director of the Vascular Institute at AMI. “At the Vascular Institute we are always striving to give our patients the latest technological advancements to treat chronic limb-threatening ischemia and nonhealing wounds. We are also proud to have been the first in the South Jersey/Pennsylvania region, and the first outpatient facility in the nation to successfully perform this procedure.”
The Espirit BTK System is comprised of materials similar to dissolving sutures. Once the blockage is open, the device is implanted through a catheter-based minimally invasive procedure. The scaffold delivers the drug and provides support while the vessel heals until the vessel is strong enough to remain open on its own.
Chronic limb-threatening ischemia is a severe form of PAD that occurs when arteries become clogged with plaque, and blood flow and oxygen can’t reach the lower leg and foot. Over 20 million people in the U.S. are living with PAD and only 10% of those people have been diagnosed.¹ ² PAD disproportionately affects the Black and Hispanic communities with nearly 1 in 3 Black adults and 1 in 5 Hispanic adults developing the disease.³
About the Vascular Institute at AMI
The Vascular Institute at AMI is one of only a handful of vascular practices in the nation that offers multi-specialty expertise in both Vascular Interventional Radiology and Vascular Surgery. Each subspecialist has a unique and specific skill set in the management and treatment of vascular disease. Thus, the entire spectrum of vascular care can be offered to patients by utilizing each specialty strengths and experience.
What that means for the patient is that whether they have chronic diabetic ulceration with blockages below the knee requiring advanced small wire, catheter, and image guided techniques, or should the patient require open surgery or even a combined open and endovascular approach, the team at the Vascular Institute at AMI is fully trained and prepared to provide expert care. This unique, multi-specialty collaboration is the first of its kind in the region and one of only a handful in the country.
Additionally, the physicians at the Vascular Institute at AMI are leaders in the latest minimally invasive techniques, technology, and research. They actively participate in several ongoing national research trials, which allows their patients access to the most innovative technology, such as drug eluting devices, atherectomy, drug coated balloons and novel stents.
The endovascular surgical specialists at the Vascular Institute at AMI serve Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Monmouth counties and surrounding areas. For more information visit www.vi-ami.com.
1 Fowkes, F.G., et al., Comparison of global estimates of prevalence and risk factors for peripheral artery disease in 2000 and 2010: a systematic review and analysis. Lancet, 2013. 382(9901): p. 1329-40
2 Nehler, M.R., et al., Epidemiology of peripheral arterial disease and critical limb ischemia in an insured national population. J Vasc Surg, 2014. 60(3): p. 686-95 e2.
3. Bates, K, Moore, M, Cibotti-Sun, M 2024 Lower Extremity Peripheral Artery Disease Guideline-at-a-Glance. JACC. 2024 Jun, 83 (24) 2605–2609.
Atlantic Medical Imaging (AMI) is a quality-driven medical imaging practice committed to clinical excellence by providing innovative service and compassionate care. With more than 68 board certified radiologists and vascular surgeons with extensive training in various medical subspecialties, over 900 staff members and 29 office locations in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Monmouth Counties, AMI is one of the largest and most comprehensive providers of vascular and imaging services in New Jersey. For more information, call 609-677-XRAY (9729), or visit www.aminj.com.