Developing Getinge vascular grafts for patients worldwide

At Getinge's production site in La Ciotat, France, people are proud to support an increased global demand for quality polyester grafts and patches that treat aortic and peripheral vascular diseases.

Behind today’s popular products, there are over 50 years of technical and clinical experience in vascular graft technology and a dedication to responding to the global surgical community’s needs with solutions that contribute to sustainable healthcare.

“By using EcoDesign, we reduce the environmental impact of our products throughout their life cycles. Our vascular grafts have a proven clinical experience and as implantable medical devices, they are intended for long-term implant in the human body. This limits the materials we can use in our products. That in mind, we put big efforts into packaging and recycling; choosing materials and processes that benefit the environment as well as our customers,” says Florence Loiselet, Director R&D and Engineering for vascular grafts at Getinge.

Getinge was the first medtech supplier to develop an antimicrobial graft and release it to global markets outside of the US.

“When we released the Intergard Silver vascular graft in 1999, it was a direct response to healthcare market needs to provide device protection against bacterial colonization. It was actually the first antimicrobial graft in the world.”

More recently, Cardioroot was developed to closely match natural aortic root anatomy. This vascular graft configuration, used for aortic root resconstruction, is gaining increased acceptance among cardiac and cardio-thoracic surgeons.

Leading a fully in-house team responsible for R&D, engineering, and validation of Getinge’s vascular grafts, Florence ensures that their work is based on a scientific approach. The team always relies on insights from data and follows the latest tech trends. In addition, the research group is exploring innovative ideas, such as active substances and coatings.

“Ultimately, it’s about providing the best possible and safest solutions for patients. I have attended surgeries to see the implantation of our products. It’s these special moments that remind me why I love R&D so much. We are part of creating something amazing. It motivates me to go to work every day knowing that these solutions save the lives of hundreds of patients every day.”

One of the biggest focuses right now for Florence and the R&D team is to meet the MDR (Medical Device Regulation) transition deadline to gain European MDR certifications for our products and Quality Management Systems (QMS).

“We are making good progress and already received the EU MDR certificate for Intergard vascular grafts. It’s an exciting journey, which constantly boosts our knowledge. It is something I am fond of doing.”

The La Ciotat culture includes a fantastic team spirit for collaboration, not only within the organization, but also among our customers and partners.

“I am proud of the fact that we work together to collaborate as one big team, in which everyone is super committed. The key to success is the people. It’s incredible to see the value we create when we work together, striving for good patient outcomes and more sustainable healthcare.”

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NB! For market availability of products mentioned in this text, please reach out to your local Getinge sales representative.