Shanghai, China, 06 July 2025 — Recently, the next-generation Cratos® Branched Aortic Stent Graft System (Cratos®), developed by MicroPort® Endovastec™, was successfully used in two post-market clinical implantations at Zhongshan Hospital Fudan University, performed by Professors Weiguo Fu and Lixin Wang, and their team. These procedures mark a key milestone in the commercial clinical application of Cratos® in China, following its regulatory approval in March 2025.
Cratos® is the first branched stent graft featuring an adjustable proximal stent end in China, developed for the minimally invasive endovascular treatment of thoracic aortic dissections involving aortic arch branches. Building upon the legacy of MicroPort® Endovastec™’s flagship Castor® Branched Aortic Stent Graft System (Castor®), Cratos® retains the classic bare segment-free integrated branched configuration design, while introducing innovations in its delivery system, significantly enhancing both device performance and surgical experience.
Cratos® delivers substantial improvements in clinical performance through several design innovations. A new small-bend posterior release technique combined with Active Birdbeak Control (ABC) improves positioning accuracy and reduces the bird-beak effect. A longer outer sheath, a rapid-release rotational mechanism, and an error-prevention release system, further streamline the surgical procedure. Additionally, the outer sheath has been reduced to a 22F diameter, minimizing vascular access requirements and expanding potential applications.
The first patient, a 61-year-old male, was diagnosed with aortic arch ulcer and proximal descending aortic dissection involving the left subclavian artery (LSA). The second patient, a 68-year-old male, had an intramural hematoma with a posterior wall bulging aneurysm involving the proximal LSA. Both cases were treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) using the Cratos®, which effectively isolated the diseased segments.
In both procedures, Cratos® showcased its strengths: the across-arch sheath design enabled protected branch wire manipulation and precise rotational alignment, while the posterior release approach effectively mitigated folding caused by the “windsock effect.”Post-operative angiography in both cases showed optimal positioning, full exclusion of lesions, and no endoleaks, confirming procedural success.
Cratos® is also advancing toward global commercialization. Pre-market clinical studies are underway in support of CE and PMDA approvals, with successful implantations already completed in Switzerland, Spain, and the Netherlands.
Dr. Qing Zhu, President of MicroPort® Endovastec™, stated: “Cratos® represents the next milestone in our two-decade journey of innovation in branched aortic repair. Castor® has proven itself as a trusted solution for treating dissections involving supra-aortic branches. Now, Cratos® takes that legacy further with precision-enhancing innovations and workflow refinements that will benefit both clinicians and patients. Its global potential reinforces our commitment to leading the future of aortic intervention and expanding our footprint in international markets.”
About MicroPort® Endovastec™
Founded in 2012, MicroPort® Endovastec™ (Shanghai MicroPort Endovascular MedTech Group Co., Ltd.; SSE: 688016), an associated company of MicroPort® (MicroPort Scientific Corporation, HKEX: 00853), is a global medical device company focusing on R&D, manufacturing, and commercialization of aortic and peripheral vascular interventional devices. MicroPort® Endovastec™'s product portfolio includes thoracic and abdominal aortic stent grafts, stent grafts in surgical operation, peripheral vascular stents, and drug-coated PTA balloon catheters. MicroPort® Endovastec™ breaks barriers and accelerates innovation to provide trustworthy and universal access to state-of-the-art solutions for prolonging and reshaping all lives, and to build a leading enterprise of emerging technologies in great vessel surgery and peripheral vascular medicine.
More information is available at: www.endovastec.com/en