Covidien Adds New Ablation Catheter to Halo Line

Mansfield, Mass.-based Covidien has launched the Halo 90 Ultra ablation catheter, which will join the rest of the family of Halo catheters for the endoscopic treatment of Barrett’s esophagus. The number in the nomenclature refers the to degree of swivel the device has, and it is called the “Ultra” catheter because it is twice the length of the original Halo 90 focal device.

Barrett’s esophagus is a precancerous condition of the lining of the esophagus caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Left untreated, the backward flow of stomach contents such as acid and bile into the esophagus can lead to injury and chronic inflammation of the esophagus lining. Some GERD patients are at risk of developing Barrett’s esophagus, which can lead to esophageal adenocarcinoma, a lethal cancer with a five-year survival rate of approximately 15 percent.

The Halo 90 Ultra catheter is designed to be used on its own or in conjunction with existing Halo 90 and Halo 60 ablation catheters, both smaller focal devices, and the Halo 360+ ablation catheter, a balloon-based endoscopic ablation system for treating larger, circumferential areas of Barrett’s esophagus. Halo 90 Ultra has received the CE Mark and is currently available in both the United States and Europe.

According to Covidien, the Halo line of catheters work by controlling the amount of energy delivered to the tissue to safely and effectively remove the diseased tissue and facilitate the re-growth of new, healthy tissue.

A moderate percentage of patients with Barrett’s esophagus have segments of diseased tissue that are longer than 1-2 centimeters, consisting of nearly circumferential disease or with patches in the form of islands or tongues emanating upward from where the esophagus meets the stomach. Because it has an electrode mounted on the end of an endoscope, the Halo 90 Ultra is able to shorten Barrett’s esophagus focal ablation treatment times by treating twice as much area per energy application as the Halo 90 catheter.

“The Halo 90 Ultra is an exciting development for patients with Barrett’s esophagus, as well as for those suffering from a condition commonly referred to as ‘watermelon stomach,’ where chronic bleeding occurs,” said Vafa Jamali, vice president and general manager of Covidien Gastrointestinal Solutions. “We are receiving positive feedback not only from clinicians who used the device in the esophagus, but also used it to cauterize the stomach bleeding, where patients otherwise undergo repeated blood transfusions.”