Dow Jones Newswires | Abbott says it plans to file FDA application by year-end seeking approval to use Acculink carotid stent system, used to prop open plaque-filled neck arteries, in patients considered at “standard risk” for surgery.

Carotid stents currently are only used for a subset of patients
considered at high risk for surgery. Abbott is basing decision on
results from “Crest” study, which concluded that carotid stents and
surgery were reasonably close in terms of safety and effectiveness.
Crest results came out in February and are being published by New
England Journal of Medicine today.