Luther Medical Gets OK for New Catheter Material

Luther Medical Products Inc., of Santa Ana, said it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a new plastic material used in the manufacture of extended-use catheters. The new material is rigid and small in diameter when dry, permitting easy insertion of the catheter into the vein, but expands and becomes pliable once it becomes wet, said a company spokesman. As a result, he said, catheters made of the new material are more comfortable and less injurious to blood vessels and can be used longer than traditional catheters.

The spokesman said Luther will begin marketing catheters made of the new material within the next two months and is discussing manufacturing the devices under competitors’ private labels. In October, the company reached an agreement with Pacific CardioSciences of Vancouver, British Columbia, to conduct tests of the material for use in treating patients with blocked arteries. Clinical trials on that research will begin this year.