CryoLife Product Holds Great Promise for Dialysis Patients
ATLANTA--(BW HealthWire)--June 9 , 1999--CryoLife, Inc. (NYSE:CRY), the leader in the development and commercialization of living human tissue implantable devices and a manufacturer and distributor of stentless heart valves and surgical adhesives, today announced that the Company's cryopreserved femoral veins are reported to significantly reduce infection rates at access sites for dialysis patients.
In a presentation at the Twenty-fourth Annual Meeting of the
Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society in Washington, D.C., on June 5,
1999, it was reported that by utilizing CryoLife's cryopreserved
femoral veins for difficult hemodialysis access, infection rates were
virtually nonexistent and the graft using the cryopreserved femoral
vein remained open and viable for prolonged periods.
Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) require
hemodialysis, which is the use of an artificial kidney to remove
toxins and fluids from the blood. The artificial kidney requires a
graft or access point in each patient which is the linkage between the
patient and the dialysis machine. These access sites are prone to
infection and such sites often become inaccessible because previous
multiple graft attempts to open a portal for connecting the patient
and the dialysis machine have resulted in failure.
Steven G. Anderson, President and Chief Executive Officer of
CryoLife, said, "The cryopreserved femoral vein technology presented
to the Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society represents precisely the
kind of contribution our company is seeking to make in the healthcare
marketplace. The surgical implementation of a graft for hemodialysis
is the most commonly performed surgical procedure among the dialysis
population, representing approximately 200,000 procedures a year. Our
cryopreserved femoral veins have the potential to improve the quality
of life for the dialysis population, which expands approximately 7% to
8% every year."
Founded in 1984, CryoLife, Inc. is the leader in the development
and commercialization of implantable living human tissues for use in
cardiovascular, vascular, and orthopaedic surgeries throughout the
United States and Canada. The Company's BioGlue(R) surgical adhesive,
CE marked in the European Union for use in vascular and pulmonary
sealing and repair, is distributed throughout Europe. The Company also
manufactures CryoLife-O'Brien(R) and CryoLife-Ross(TM) stentless
porcine heart valves which are distributed within the European
Community.
Statements made in this press release which look forward in time
involve risks and uncertainties and are "forward-looking" statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such risks and uncertainties include the possibility that use of
the Company's cryopreserved femoral veins to establish access for
hemodialysis will not be as successful as the Company believes,
changes in economic cycles, competition from other companies, changes
in laws and governmental regulations applicable to the Company and
other risk factors detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings, including the Company's Prospectus dated March 30,
1998, contained in its Registration Statement on Form S-3 (No.
333-46545).
Editor's Note:
CryoLife Customer Service may be accessed by telephone:
1-800-438-8285 (U.S. and Canada)
1-770-419-3355 (International)
1-770-590-3753 (International fax)
E-mail: customerservice@cryolife.com
For additional information about the Company, visit CryoLife's
web site: http://www.cryolife.com
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CONTACT: CryoLife Inc., Atlanta
Roy Vogeltanz, 800/438-8285
KEYWORD: GEORGIA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICINE BIOTECHNOLOGY