Redefining the Standard of Care for Aortic Aneurysm Treatment
Taurus Vascular is a Houston-based medical device company focused on improving long-term outcomes for patients with aortic aneurysms.
The Standard of Care
Each year, over one million people are diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), which is a bulging, dilation or ballooning in the wall of a blood vessel. If left untreated, an aneurysm can rupture and result in sudden, severe bleeding - just as a balloon will burst when inflated beyond its capacity.
Survival after aortic aneurysm rupture is less than 20%. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is the current standard of care for treating AAAs. It involves inserting a stent graft into the site of the aneurysm through a small incision in the groin. It is positioned and expanded to support the weakened artery walls and reduce the risk of rupture.
Globally, there are over 250,000 EVAR procedures performed each year, representing a $3.2B market.
The Challenge
Despite the success of EVAR in reducing mortality rates and improving patient outcomes, endoleaks remain a major issue, impacting up to 50% of patients. Endoleak is a common and serious complication that occurs when blood leaks back into the aneurysm sac, which can cause the aneurysm to continue to grow and potentially rupture. In fact, up to 20% of patients who undergo EVAR require a repeat procedure within 5 years due to endoleaks. This high rate of reintervention can result in significant healthcare spending, with over $1.5B added to the U.S. healthcare system each year. Given the high incidence of endoleaks and their associated risks, there is a critical need to find effective solutions to mitigate this complication and improve patient outcomes following EVAR.
The Solution
Our minimally-invasive, catheter-based technology places a self-deploying stent between the high-pressure aneurysm sac and low-pressure nearby vein, allowing for the continuous drainage of endoleaks and depressurization of the aneurysmal sac following EVAR. Representing a significant improvement over the current standard of care for abdominal aortic aneurysm treatment, our technology aims to improve procedure outcomes and allow patients to live longer, healthier lives after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
