The PercSys Approach to Stone Management in Endourology

PercSys’ advanced microcatheter technology provides endourologists with an innovative approach to treating kidney and ureteral stones. The company’s microcatheters feature a unique and proprietary method for forming an occlusion in the ureter to prevent stone fragment migration and facilitate fragment removal during lithotripsy procedures.

The PercSys Accordion® Stone Management Device and the Accordion CoAx™ Stone Control Device are designed to simplify and shorten endoscopic lithotripsy procedures by combining the utility of multiple endoscopic stone management tools into a single device. Specifically, they offer the benefits of a device for blocking stone migration and the utility of a basket during stone fragment removal.

The Accordion device is a hydrophilic coated, microcatheter-based tool that has the tracking performance characteristics of a premium guidewire*. It is optimized for use during ureteroscopic lithotripsy procedures and features a multi-fold film occlusion that tracks easily past a stone before being deployed.  Once in position, the occlusion will conform to the shape of the ureter, unlike basket or coil devices.  The occlusion allows use of irrigation during stone fragmentation while preventing retrograde migration of stone fragments up to the kidney.  This irrigation can facilitate distal rinsing of smaller fragments to keep the field of view clear. Following fragmentation, the device can sweep multiple, larger fragments into the bladder or into a ureteral access sheath, eliminating the need to basket and remove fragments individually. Unlike most baskets, the Accordion device can be opened easily to release the stone or trapped fragments in the lumen of the ureter, if needed.

The 15mm CoAx device is optimized for use in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) procedures and is designed to prevent antegrade migration of stone fragments into the ureter. While this device features the same occlusion film design as the Accordion device, it offers a novel over-the-wire design that allows the device to be introduced into the urinary system over a guidewire. Once in place the guidewire can be removed and the central lumen of the microcatheter can facilitate contrast injection for retrograde pyelograms. Unlike a balloon catheter, the CoAx device is stable when placed in the upper urinary tract and the device's functionality is not compromised by inadvertent contact with lithotripter energy.

These features position the PercSys devices as valuable tools for the urologist with benefits for use in nearly all endoscopic lithotripsy procedures.