SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, July 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MMSI), a leading global manufacturer and marketer of healthcare technology, announced today the enrollment of the first patient in its Canadian prospective, post-market, observational study to further demonstrate the benefits of SCOUT, a wireless, radar-guided localization system used to assist breast surgeons in identifying biopsied tumors for removal during breast-conserving surgery.
Globally, over two million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020.1 Radar localization procedures may help physicians surgically remove abnormal tissue while minimizing trauma to surrounding healthy tissue. By implanting a tiny reflector, the size of a grain of rice, physicians may be able to precisely target affected tissue. “I am looking forward to treating patients and the positive outcomes of using the only radar technology on the market," said Isabelle Trop, MD, a radiologist in the Department of Radiology, Radiation Oncology, and Nuclear Medicine at the University of Montreal, and investigator of the STREAMLoc registry study.
The STREAMLoc registry study will add to the body of research supporting the use of the SCOUT system to improve efficiency in patient care between biopsy and surgery. This is of high importance, particularly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has imposed substantial logistical challenges to healthcare delivery in Canada. “It is an easy one-step procedure before surgery and a less painful and time-consuming technique on the day of surgery,” said Christine Desbiens, MD, a surgical oncologist at the CHU de Québec-Laval University and fellow investigator of the STREAMLoc registry study.
STREAMLoc will enroll 500 patients with high-risk breast lesions categorized as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4C or 5. Study outcomes will be assessed from the initial placement of the SCOUT reflector during biopsy to its removal. Subsequent pathology reports will include the impact on the number of patient visits for invasive procedures between biopsy and surgery and additional post-market data on safety and efficacy of the system. Patient and clinician satisfaction with the device will also be evaluated.
“The successful enrollment of the first patient in the STREAMLoc registry study will add to our robust portfolio of evidence regarding the benefits of the SCOUT system,” said Fred Lampropoulos, Merit Medical’s Chairman and CEO. “We anticipate that the safety and efficacy data collected, as well as data on patient and provider satisfaction, will help us continue to improve the clinical management of breast cancer.”
For additional information on the STREAMLoc registry study, including ongoing updates, please visit: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04815291
ABOUT MERIT MEDICAL
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture, and distribution of proprietary disposable medical devices used in interventional, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology, critical care, and endoscopy. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force and clinical support team totaling more than 600 individuals. Merit employs approximately 6,500 people worldwide with facilities in South Jordan, Utah; Pearland, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Rockland, Massachusetts; Aliso Viejo, California; Maastricht and Venlo, The Netherlands; Paris, France; Galway, Ireland; Beijing, China; Tijuana, Mexico; Joinville, Brazil; Ontario, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; Reading, United Kingdom; Johannesburg, South Africa; and Singapore.
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Reference
1World Health Organization. 2021. Breast cancer. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer