Embolx, a Sunnyvale, California-based medical device company, announced this week that the latest versions of its Sniper Balloon Occlusion Microcatheters have received clearance from the FDA.

These new microcatheters, available in three lengths, were developed to help interventional radiologists access femoral or radial arterial sites.

“Our next generation devices incorporate experience from more than 1,000 Sniper balloon occlusion microcatheters used to date,” Michael Allen, president and CEO of Embolx, said in a prepared statement. “Now, interventional radiologists can do everything they would do with standard microcatheters, but with the added benefits of balloon occlusion. This is a big step forward and provides physicians with the most advanced transarterial delivery system for tumor and prostate treatment.”

“The great thing about Sniper's enhanced design and longer lengths is that it allows me to perform procedures using a transradial approach with the benefits of pressure-directed embolization,” Aaron M. Fischman, MD, interventional radiologist and associate professor of radiology and surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, sad in the same statement. “The ability to reverse blood flow using Sniper's balloon helps me to not have to worry about non-target embolization. I can perform the procedure the way I want because of Sniper's wide range compatibility with different guidewires, guide catheters, coils and therapeutic agents.”