NATICK, Mass. (AP) - Medical device maker Boston Scientific Corp. said Thursday it received U.S. approval for a new type of stent to treat blocked arteries in the legs.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the company's Epic Vascular Self-Expanding stent for iliac artery stenosis, a form of heart disease associated with insufficient blood flow in the legs. The disease can be treated with medication, surgery or a stenting procedure.
Stents are mesh-metal tubes used to prop open artery walls after they have been cleared of plaque. They are usually fed into the artery on a catheter and then squeezed into place using an expandable balloon.
In January, Boston Scientific reported nine-month results from a study showing lower adverse events in patients treated with the Epic stent than older stents.
The stent was approved and launched in Europe in 2009.
Company shares rose 1 cent Thursday to $6.10, then added more than 4 percent, or 28 cents, to $6.38 in after-hours trading after the announcement.