In July, developer and extruder of advanced polymers Zeus Industrial Products Inc. (Orangeburg, SC) debuted the first thin-walled PTFE catheter liner in its Sub-Lite-Wall StreamLiner series. The StreamLiner XT has a maximum wall thickness of 0.00075 in. (0.01905 mm). It followed that up this week with the introduction of the StreamLiner VT, which features a maximum wall thickness of 0.001 in. (0.025 mm) in an inner diameter size range of 0.004 to 0.120 in. (0.107 to 3.05 mm). Both products will be showcased by Zeus at the co-located Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) and PLASTEC events in Minneapolis next month.

As a free extrusion, the StreamLiner series makes for a sturdier and more robust finished device while retaining necessary functional properties such as torqueablity, pushability and flexibility, said Zeus.

"The market is challenging manufacturers to develop transcatheter solutions for smaller and more tortuous anatomies. Zeus’s StreamLiner series is poised to answer that challenge and become the market standard," said Josh Ridley, Director, Medical Sales and Marketing. "These PTFE liners are stronger and tougher than conventional catheter liners and don't exhibit the surface imperfections or proclivity toward flaking sometimes associated with dip-coated technology."

The lubricious new StreamLiner XT PTFE liner enhances deployment force through the lumen of the catheter, resulting in improved minimally invasive procedures, according to Zeus. Both the StreamLiner XT and StreamLiner VT allow greater access to small vessels, including peripheral and neurovasculatures, enabling medical device engineers and clinical practitioners to improve procedural success rates and minimize patient trauma.

The release of the StreamLiner VT was accelerated after a positive market response to the successful launch of the StreamLiner XT. Zeus has plans to roll out additional liners in the series in the near future.

Zeus will highlight these products along with other technologies relevant to medical device manufacturers at booth 1405 at MD&M and PLASTEC Minneapolis, part of the Midwest’s largest advanced manufacturing event. The trade show and conference will welcome more than 600 suppliers and thousands of attendees to the Minneapolis Convention Center on Nov. 8 and 9, 2017. Go to the event website for more information and to register to attend.