Abbott: Amplatzer Piccolo
Abbott won FDA approval for its Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder in January 2019. The device is implanted in babies weighing as little as two pounds in a minimally invasive procedure to treat patent ductus arteriosus.
Amplatzer Piccolo is a device smaller than a small pea that treats one of the most common congenital heart defects in premature babies. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a potentially life-threatening opening between two blood vessels leading from the heart. For most infants, the pathway seals itself shortly after birth, according to Abbott. However, PDA could occur in some babies who are born prematurely.
Abbott’s Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder is a self-expanding, wire mesh device that is inserted through a small incision in the leg and guided through vessels to the heart to seal the opening in the heart. A physician inserts it through the aortic or pulmonary artery where it can be retrieved and redeployed for optimal placement.
