Library of training opportunities on the ANGIO Mentor increases with the new Below-The-Knee (BTK) module.

Cleveland, OH: Simbionix USA Corporation, the world's leading provider of medical simulation, training and education products, announces increasing its library of training opportunities on the ANGIO Mentorwith the new Below-The-Knee (BTK) module.

The Simbionix ANGIO Mentor products are multidisciplinary surgical simulators that provide hands-on practice of endovascular procedures in a virtual reality simulated environment.

Lower-limb ischemia, a Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), is a vascular disorder which occurs when oxygen supply to the leg tissues is reduced due to poor blood flow caused by atherosclerosis.

Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia present with rest pain, which may progress to ulceration and gangrene, experience high amputation rates, significant morbidity and cardiovascular events.

Undergoing endovascular below-the-knee revascularization may increase the possibility of saving the limb. Still, Critical Limb Ischemia is associated with multi-segmental complex arterial lesions, which contribute to the challenge of these procedures.

Developments in medical devices and recent advancement in techniques help surgeons overcome these procedural challenges.

 The Simbionix BTK simulation module helps surgeons build confidence with the clinical and practical aspects of BTK Interventions using the latest techniques and therapeutic approaches available.

The module was developed in collaboration with leading worldwide physicians, including Dr.

Andrej Schmidt from the Center for Vascular Medicine, Parkhospital andHeartcenter Leipzig, Germany.

"The role of endovascular therapy for patients with critical limb ischemia is steadily increasing.

Therefore skills to treat infrapopliteal arteries is extremely important, which are clearly completely different to treat than iliac or femoropopliteal lesions.

Simbionix module for BTK interventions is, in our opinion, a very important learning-tool and perfectly brought into praxis."

"The ANGIO Mentor provides a complete training solution to learners of all levels and across multiple disciplines", said Gary Zamler, Simbionix CEO.

"The new BTK module was very well received by doctors of all skills levels, who all commented on the high realism of the simulated procedure in comparison to other available products.

The ANGIO Mentor's true value lies within its vast training opportunities.

As we strive to offer our customers the best ROI, we continuously develop new modules for this robust simulator to answer the needs of endovascular surgeons."

To experience the ANGIO Mentor hands-on, visit Simbionix at the training sessions at SVS, June 6-8, in National Harbor, MD.