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Delray Medical Center Implants New Dissolvable Stent for Chronic Limb-threatening Ischemia Below-the-Knee

Delray Medical Center (DMC) in South Florida successfully implanted the Esprit™ BTK Everolimus Eluting Resorbable Scaffold System (Esprit™ BTK System), a first-of-its-kind dissolvable stent for people with chronic limb threatening ischemia (CLTI) below-the-knee (BTK). DMC was the first hospital in Palm Beach County to utilize the Esprit in surgery. 

Abbott’s Esprit™ BTK System offers a new option for those with the most extreme form of peripheral artery disease (PAD) in arteries below-the-knee. The procedure was completed by vascular surgeon Joseph Ricotta, M.D., National Medical Director of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy for Tenet Healthcare, and Professor of Surgery and Program Director of the vascular surgery fellowship at Florida Atlanta University School of Medicine.

Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2024, the Esprit BTK System is designed to keep arteries open and deliver a drug called everolimus to support vessel healing prior to dissolving. The Esprit 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 helps heal the vessel and provides support until it is strong enough to remain open on its own.

“The FDA’s approval of Esprit BTK System is a step forward in below-the-knee therapy,” said Dr. Ricotta. “This new treatment option supports healing while reducing the risk of long-term complications.”

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia below-the knee is a severe form of PAD that occurs when arteries become clogged with plaque, and blood flow and oxygen cannot 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. PAD disproportionately affects the Black and Hispanic communities, with nearly 1 in 3 Black adults and 1 in 5 Hispanic adults developing the disease. Risk factors for PAD also include current or prior smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.