Merit Medical Launches Arcadia Steerable and Straight Balloons

January 28, 2020—Merit Medical Systems, Inc. announced the market launch of the Arcadia steerable and straight balloons for vertebral augmentation. Arcadia balloons are designed to help physicians achieve controlled, precise cavity creation during unipedicular or bipedicular vertebral augmentation procedures.

The Arcadia steerable balloon provides a bipedicular footprint through a unipedicular approach for increased control for ideal balloon placement and cement delivery when treating vertebral compression fractures. The device's design has the potential to reduce procedural and fluoroscopy times and lower costs associated with additional incisions. The Arcadia straight balloon is designed for simplified cavity creation when treating vertebral compression fractures via a standard bipedicular approach.

According to Merit Medical Systems, the preinflation length of both product offerings (five sizes ranging from 10–30 mm) accommodates diverse anatomies while providing reduced compliancy and increased balloon volumes. The size range combined with steerability enables the ability to straddle the center midline of the vertebral body, providing a balanced inflation footprint between endplates. A high-pressure rating of 700 psi helps to form even cavity creation in varying vertebral body anatomies.

Douglas P. Beall, MD, commented in the announcement, “The Arcadia steerable balloon offers highly accurate balloon placement through a unilateral approach, as well as a balloon with enough size and durability to reduce prominent fractures and optimize cement fill. This system has the capability to offer bilateral results with a unilateral approach.” Dr. Beall is Chief of Services, Clinical Radiology of Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma.