St Jude Medical's Angio-Seal STS Plus vascular closure device

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has granted regulatory approval for the Angio-Seal STS Plus vascular closure device, a product developed by St Jude Medical to help seal catheterisation sites. It is approved for both percutaneous peripheral and cardiac interventional catheterisation procedures, and enables physicians to seal the femoral artery punctures made during the surgery. The device incorporates a self-tightening suture, which St Paul, Minnesota-based St Jude claims is a significant advantage over its Angio-Seal Millennium vascular closure platform, which has been used in Japanese cath labs since 2004. The Ministry has also granted reimbursement approval for the device.