Boston Scientific launches gel to prevent stone migration in urologic procedures

2 April 2012

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) has launched BackStop Gel, a new technology designed to prevent stone migration during procedures used to break up and retrieve urinary stones. The company is now marketing the product in the US and select international markets.

BackStop Gel is a water-soluble polymer that urologists inject into the ureter to form a plug behind the stone, preventing migration of stone fragments of all sizes.

Stone migration is a common clinical challenge during stone extraction and can result in increased procedure time, lower stone-free rates and increased need for secondary procedures.

The BackStop Gel is placed with a catheter, which is then removed to free up space in the operative field. Unlike prior generations of antiretropulsion devices, BackStop Gel is designed without mechanical components susceptible to damage from devices used to fragment the stone. Upon completion of the procedure, the BackStop Gel is designed to dissolve with conventional irrigation.

"I have found that using BackStop Gel in the ureter helps prevent the migration of stones and increases the success rate of stone removal," said Dianne Sacco, M.D., Director of Kidney Stone Program, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "This product provides a non-traumatic plug, which enhances the use of lithotripsy devices to successfully fragment and retrieve stones."

"We are focused on offering minimally invasive and cost-effective medical devices that improve patient outcomes," said Michael Phalen, Executive Vice President and President of the Boston Scientific MedSurg Division. "The BackStop Gel demonstrates this focus by providing a clinically effective method for urologists to manage the common problem of stone migration during treatment procedures."