At this year's International Stroke Conference in San Antonio, some exciting device-based therapies and approaches were discusssed--including advanced imaging, multimodal therapy and stent-like thrombectomy devices--that may offer improved outcomes for patients that suffer an acute ischemic stroke.

Invatec has grown to be the leading native European interventional vascular device company and has now set its sights on the US market. By focusing first on peripherals and following with drug-eluting balloons, not stents, Invatec is looking to compete against the major device companies on their home turf.

Staying close to the customer has become a cliche--one that most companies begin by adhering to, but which becomes more difficult to maintain as a company grows. Invatec started as a family-run business centered around turning physicians' ideas into new products. The success of Invatec's initial products led to the company's transformation into one selling both cardiology devices and innovative products in the carotid and peripheral markets. Invatec started by building a growing global business outside of the US, and it is seeing early success from its initial US product introductions, where it is challenging the major cardiology companies on their home turf.