The Angel Catheter: An Important New Tool in The Fight Against Pulmonary Embolism

The Angel Catheter is a unique tool that brings healthcare providers a new option for patients who cannot be anticoagulated and are at risk for developing a pulmonary embolism. The Angel Catheter, created by Bio2 Medical, is a nitinol inferior vena cava (IVC) filter that also works as a central venous catheter. It is a new medical tool that will play a large role in stopping pulmonary embolism (PE) in severely ill patients. Doctors can insert the catheter in their patients from their bedside, without requiring fluoroscopic guidance.

During recovery in the hospital, surgery patients are at a high risk for developing PE. The Angel Catheter is designed to trap blood clots before they cause issues.

For a closer look at the Angel Catheter and how it is placed in the body, take a look at this video from Bio2 Medical:

The FDA gave Bio2 Medical’s Angel Catheter FDA 510(k) clearance in August 2016. The Angel Catheter was then used for the first time in a commercial setting in September 2016 in West Palm Beach Florida by Lawrence Lottenberg, MD, FACS and Robert Borrego, MD, FACS.

According to a Bio2 Medical press release, Dr. Borrego believes, “The placement of the Angel^® Catheter at the bedside is a safe and efficient way to protect patients at high risk for pulmonary embolism, who cannot be anticoagulated for seven to ten days therefore protecting them from additional morbidity/mortality due to pulmonary embolism in high risk patients.”

Results from the European Angel Catheter Registry show that out of 60 critically ill patients who took part in the study, one patient developed a PE, without hemodynamic compromise, and two PEs were averted. The study reported that no serious adverse events happened during the trial.

NATF strives to educate physicians on the latest technologies and techniques available to them in the field of thrombosis, but does not endorse any specific device, medication, technique, or other form of treatments. Patients should always consult with their physicians to determine the best course of treatment for their individual circumstance.