MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ — Concentric
Medical, Inc., the global leader in devices for clot removal in
ischemic stroke patients, today announced that the Merci
Retriever® has recently received both product and procedure
reimbursement from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and
Welfare. The Merci Retriever is a catheter-based medical
device that physicians at stroke centers use to remove blood clots
from the brains of patients suffering an ischemic stroke.
On May 4th, Concentric Medical announced the Shonin approval of
the Merci Retriever®, Merci® Microcatheter, and Merci®
Balloon Guide Catheter.
Nobuyuki Sakai, M.D., D.M.Sc., Director, Neurosurgery &
Stroke Center at Kobe City General Hospital said, “The Merci
Retriever is quickly becoming a very meaningful treatment option
for acute stroke patients in Japan. The initial cases at
leading stroke institutions since Shonin approval have been very
successful. Reimbursement for the Merci Retriever and the
mechanical procedure are a critical part of making the Merci system
available to all neurosurgeons, neurologists, and hospitals in
Japan that treat acute stroke patients.”
Century Medical, Inc. is the exclusive distribution partner for
Concentric Medical in Japan. The two companies worked
together to obtain both Shonin approval and reimbursement for the
Merci Retriever, which is the first device for clot removal for
ischemic patients to be approved in Japan.
One of Concentric Medical’s strategic objectives has been global
expansion. The incidence of stroke and the mortality and disability
associated with stroke are very significant issues for health care
systems across the world. Maria Sainz, President and CEO of
Concentric Medical said, “We are honored to be the first to offer a
device solution for stroke patients in Japan. Launching the Merci
system in Japan is a very significant milestone and a great
new
‘/>”/>
