Avinger’s Ocelot Technology Featured in Live Case Transmission at Complex Cardiovascular Catheter Therapeutics (C3) 2018

C3 Curriculum Designed for Physicians Specializing in Interventional Cardiology, Vascular Surgery and Interventional Radiology

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avinger, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVGR), a leading developer of innovative treatments for peripheral artery disease (PAD), today announced that its Ocelot image-guided chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing device was featured in a live case on June 19^th at Complex Cardiovascular Catheter Therapeutics (C3) 2018 in Orlando, Florida. Ocelot combines real-time image guidance using optical coherence tomography (OCT) with a proprietary CTO crossing catheter design to aid physicians in the treatment of chronic total occlusions.

Dr. Mahir Elder, an interventional cardiologist at the Detroit Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute, performed the case. The patient had previously undergone a failed attempt by another operator at a different institution prior to Dr. Elder’s successful revascularization of the artery after using Ocelot to cross the complete blockage, also known as a chronic total occlusion or CTO.

Commenting on the case, Dr. Elder noted, “I was extremely pleased with the outcome of this procedure. Patients with a completely blocked artery often present with very complex lesion morphology and require advanced tools and techniques for successful treatment. Many times these patients suffer from critical limb ischemia which can result in amputation if not addressed quickly and effectively. In this case, the patient had a 300 millimeter flush occlusion with the presence of moderate calcium. Ocelot, with its spiral flute design and integrated onboard image guidance helped me effectively navigate through the blockage and deliver minimally invasive therapy to a patient who had already failed a medical management regimen and a previous intervention. The live satellite audience was able to witness how Lumivascular technology aided in decreasing fluoroscopy and radiation time in this case, and maintained lumen position to avoid subintimal variation. Crossing this CTO was much faster and easier than standard techniques.”

Lumivascular technology allows physicians, for the first time ever, to see from inside the artery during a CTO crossing or atherectomy procedure by using an imaging modality called optical coherence tomography, or OCT, that is displayed on Avinger’s proprietary Lightbox console. Atherectomy is a minimally invasive treatment for PAD in which a catheter-based device is used to remove plaque from a blood vessel. Physicians attempting to cross CTOs or performing atherectomy with other devices must rely solely on X-ray as well as tactile feedback to guide their interventions while treating complicated arterial disease. With the Lumivascular approach, physicians can more accurately navigate their devices and treat PAD lesions, thanks to the real-time OCT images generated from inside the artery, without exposing healthcare workers and patients to the negative effects of ionizing radiation. 

About Avinger, Inc.

Avinger is a commercial-stage medical device company that designs and develops the first-ever image-guided, catheter-based system that diagnoses and treats patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Avinger is dedicated to radically changing the way vascular disease is treated through its Lumivascular platform, which currently consists of the Lightbox imaging console, the Ocelot family of chronic total occlusion (CTO) catheters, and the Pantheris® family of atherectomy devices. Avinger is based in Redwood City, CA. For more information, please visit www.avinger.com.

Public Relations Contact:
Phil Preuss
VP of Marketing & Business Operations
Avinger, Inc.
(650) 241-7900
pr@avinger.com

Investor Contact:
Matt Ferguson
Chief Business Officer & CFO
Avinger, Inc.
(650) 241-7916
ir@avinger.com