Argon Acquires US Biopsy and Its Transjugular Liver Biopsy Instrument

September 9, 2014—Argon Medical Devices, Inc. announced that it has acquired Promex Technologies, LLC (doing business as US Biopsy), a manufacturer of soft-tissue biopsy products including the TLAB transjugular liver biopsy instrument. Argon Medical also secured US Biopsy’s disposable and reusable soft-tissue biopsy instruments, breast localization needles, and fine-needle aspiration needles.
    
Argon Medical is a biopsy device manufacturer that offers a full-core biopsy instrument commonly used in percutaneous liver biopsies. With the addition of TLAB, Argon Medical now offers devices to collect liver samples using either percutaneous or transjugular access approaches.

According to Argon Medical, the TLAB’s Flexcore technology allows the needle to flex to acute angles and still function consistently. The company noted that this flexibility is essential in transjugular liver biopsy where the needle must bend to enter the hepatic vein coming from the liver and collect a specimen via the vessel wall. Patients who require a liver biopsy using this approach have, or are suspected to have, liver disease, which often causes the liver to harden over time, making it more difficult to access. TLAB’s Flexcore technology and sharp Tru-Track trocar needle tip allow the needle to enter tough liver tissue without diving or deviating from the track, stated the company.