Penumbra’s Indigo System With Lightning 7 and Lightning 12 Intelligent Aspiration Is Approved and Launched in Europe

April 14, 2022—Penumbra, Inc. announced the European CE Mark approval and commercial launch of the Indigo aspiration system with Lightning 7 and Lightning 12. Both technologies are part of Penumbra’s Indigo system that is designed for single session arterial and venous thrombus removal, including the treatment of pulmonary embolisms.

According to the company, Lightning 7 and Lightning 12, which are powered by the Penumbra Engine, combine the new Indigo system CAT 7 and CAT 12 aspiration catheters with Lightning intelligent aspiration, which is a computer-aided clot detection technology that can differentiate between clot and blood to reduce blood loss and the need for clot-dissolving drugs.

The Lightning technology also provides an alternative to other surgical options. CAT 7 is a high-power, low-profile catheter that features laser-cut hypotube technology and circumferential sweep that is designed for dependable delivery and maximal clot extraction. CAT 12 is a large-lumen aspiration catheter that also incorporates laser-cut hypotube-based catheter engineering to provide advanced deliverability and torque-ability within the body, stated Penumbra.

“Technology advancements such as Lightning 7 and Lightning 12 are critical to improving patient outcomes and expanding use of mechanical thrombectomy to a broader range of patients,” commented Andrew Wigham, MBBS, in the company’s press release. Dr. Wigham, who is an interventional radiology consultant at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, United Kingdom, continued, “Lightning enables us to remove blood clots in the body quickly and efficiently, often in a single session, while also minimizing blood loss and potentially reducing the need for thrombolytics and prolonged intensive care unit stays.”