“As a Chinese doctor, I deeply feel the increasing global attention and respect for China’s experiences and perspectives. Over the past 30 years, China has transformed from a follower to gradually aligning with international standards in the field of neurointervention. Through extensive research and innovation, China has contributed new evidence, devices, and experiences, which are of significant importance to scholars worldwide.” This was stated by Professor Liu Jianmin, Director of the Cerebrovascular Disease Center at the First Affiliated Hospital of the Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changhai Hospital), during a live interview at the World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Istanbul. During this world-class academic exchange in the neurointervention field, Professor Liu Jianmin’s team demonstrated the Lattice® Flow Diverter, developed by AccuMedical, showcasing this innovative tool that directly addresses the clinical challenges of intracranial aneurysm treatment.
Unraveling the Global Challenge of Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment
Stroke is now the second leading cause of death worldwide, with China experiencing particularly high incidence rate, especially hemorrhagic strokes caused by intracranial aneurysms. Known as "ticking time bombs" in the brain, intracranial aneurysms are abnormal bulges in the arterial walls that can rupture at any time, leading to life-threatening intracranial hemorrhages. Data reveals that the prevalence of unruptured aneurysms in China’s population aged 35-75 reaches 7.0%, affecting nearly 100 million individuals. Once ruptured, the fatality rate from the first hemorrhage is around 35%, climbing to 60%–80% in case of recurrent bleeding.
Faced with this high-risk condition, the medical community has been actively exploring new treatment approaches. Traditional craniotomies often impose greater financial, surgical, and psychological burdens on patients, with long recovery periods. However, advancements in neurointerventional technology have introduced a minimally invasive approach to treat unruptured aneurysms. Through vascular reconstruction with flow diverters, early intervention is now possible to “defuse the bomb” before rupture.
The Lattice® Flow Diverter by AccuMedical, showcased at the WLNC, is one such “defusing tool”. Public information indicates that Lattice® is the first flow diverter of its kind to utilize mechanical balloon delivery technology and surface modification technology. Approved in October 2022 under the National Special Review Procedures for Innovative Medical Device (“Green Channel”), it is indicated for various aneurysms in the internal carotid and vertebral artery. Its approval includes the broadest indication in its class, making it the first product to extend indications to medium and small vertebral artery aneurysms.
Clinical data highlights its impressive efficacy, with a 91.4% aneurysm occlusion success rate and only a 0.8% in-stent restenosis rate at 12 months post-surgery. During a live demonstration at WLNC, Professor Yang Pengfei from the First Affiliated Hospital of the Naval Medical University (Shanghai Changhai Hospital) introduced Lattice's structural and performance features, shared findings from LIFE pre-market clinical study, and demonstrated its operational techniques. The presentation garnered significant interest and attention from attending international experts.
In the live interview in Istanbul, Professor Liu Jianmin stated, "Innovation in China's neurointervention field is becoming increasingly prominent. This year, the surgeries we broadcast primarily used domestically manufacutred devices. Among them are globally leading devices such as the Lattice® Flow Diverter, whose innovative design surpasses existing products in many aspects. For example, it features a mechanical balloon delivery system with radiopaque markers and the MIROR surface modification technology. The mechanical balloon delivery system has an automatic expansion function, effectively resolving common issues like poor stent opening and inadequate wall apposition when deploying flow diverters in curved vessels. This innovative design simplifies the use of flow diverters in complex vescular scenarios."
"Lattice®, through multiple groundbreaking technological innovations, has greatly reduced the surgical complexity for clinicians, shortened operation times, and improved patient recovery rates and surgical safety, ushering intracranial aneurysm treatment into an ‘automatic era’,” a representative from AccuMedical stated in a recent interview with CCTV News.
The Lattice® Flow Diverter incorporates an innovative mechanical balloon system that effectively addresses challenges such as stent kinking and opening failure, and vascular damage caused by complex operations. This ensures precise positioning and smooth deployment, advancing intracranial aneurysm treatment into the "automatic" era. Additionally, with its advanced material selection and processing techniques, the MIROR surface modification technology resolves issues related to ischemic complications and cytotoxicity caused by metal oxides on woven stent surfaces, significantly enhancing surgical safety.
China’s Self-developed Innovation Reaches the International Stage
The WLNC is one of the largest and most internationalized neurointervention exchange platforms in the world. AccuMedical, as a representative of Chinese innovative medical devices, participated in this international event, showcasing the strength of China’s "new quality productive forces." In the past, due to the high technical barriers in stroke treatment, the development of neurointervention in China was limited. However, with continuous innovation and development by companies like AccuMedical, the trend of domestic production in the neurointervention field is emerging.
According to Frost & Sullivan data, from 2017 to 2022, the number of intracranial aneurysm interventional treatments in China increased from 44,000 to 84,000, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.8%. It is expected that by 2028, the number of procedures will reach 912,000, with a CAGR of 48.9%. This provides significant growth potential for domestic medical devices.
"Developing new quality productive forces cannot simply be about benchmarking foreign products. AccuMedical aims to break the 'imitation-following' technological path and continue investing in innovative R&D to achieve 'true innovation and practical use' in the field of domestically produced neurointerventional medical devices," said an AccuMedical representative in a media interview.
Public information shows that AccuMedical holds more than 100 domestic and international patents and has dual R&D centers in China and the United States. With deep technical expertise and continuous innovation, AccuMedical has been recognized as a "Specialized, Refined, Featured, and Innovative" small and medium-sized enterprise by Beijing, a National High-Tech Enterprise, and is also one of the drafting units for the national standard for neurovascular thrombectomy stents. In addition to the Lattice® Flow Diverter showcased at the WLNC, AccuMedical's product line covers interventional devices and access devices for both hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke treatment, with seven products approved and entering the commercialization stage.
A Promising Future for China’s Innovative Medical Devices
Professor Liu Jianmin, in his live interview at the conference in Istanbul, commented, "The display of these innovative products indicates that China has transitioned from a follower to a contributor, researcher, and innovator in the field of neurointervention. We are now making important contributions to global neurointervention research and development. We are providing the latest high-level evidence, new devices, new concepts, and relevant experiences. I believe that in the post-pandemic era, as international exchanges become more routine, China's voice and contributions in neurointervention will have an increasingly significant global impact."