Toro Neurovascular has announced the successful treatment of the first patient in a first-in-man clinical trial of its Toro 88 SuperBore Aspiration Catheter for acute ischemic stroke treatment in Japan.

The procedure was conducted at Shimizu Hospital by neurosurgeon Nobuyuki Sakai and his team.

Seijinkai Shimizu Hospital president Dr Sakai said: “Toro 88’s performance was exceptional, particularly in accessing the intricate anatomy of the cerebral vasculature. Its ability to efficiently remove large clot burden and navigate challenging conditions is impressive.”

The catheter features MicroFlex Technology, a micro-wire design and was developed to navigate complex neurovascular anatomy with enhanced control.

Its design aims to provide manoeuvrability and precision, allowing efficient access to the M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery.

With a 0.088in lumen, the catheter is engineered to enable complete clot ingestion, potentially improving patient outcomes.

The company expects that its devices could offer an improved first-line treatment for stroke, delivering faster and more effective results.

Its catheters are expected to raise the standard of stroke care and increase therapy access in developing regions, pending regulatory approvals.

Toro Neurovascular CEO Hyung Posalit said: “Our goal is to improve patient outcomes through innovation, and we are excited to showcase how our technology may streamline clot access and removal.

“We are committed to developing high-performance devices that make a meaningful difference in stroke patient outcomes. This milestone is a testament to our ongoing efforts to create real-world benefits for patients.”

The Toro 88 SuperBore Aspiration Catheter is currently unavailable commercially in any country.