Bloomington, Ind.-based device company Cook Medical launched its Hercules 100 transnasal esophageal balloon in the U.S., according to an Oct. 26 press release.
It's the first balloon designed specifically for transnasal esophageal procedures and is a modification of Cook's Hercules three-stage balloon, the release said. That balloon was designed for gastrointestinal use.
The Hercules 100 is made of P.E.T. Flex material for accurate three-stage dilation, and its catheter is compatible with most endoscopes, the release said. It can be used with an endoscope camera during procedures.
"This balloon was specifically designed with ENT physicians and their patients in mind," Thomas Cherry, director of Cook Medical's otolaryngology specialty, said in a statement. "The balloon is much shorter than what is currently on the market, and it's tailored to the scope that ENTs commonly use, as well as the patient anatomy they treat."
Read the full press release here.