W.L. Gore & Associates, the sole provider of artificial blood vessels for pediatric heart surgeries, has agreed to supply 11 models of vessels and three models of cardiovascular patches in Korea.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on Thursday that the U.S. manufacturer decided to provide four additional models of vessels and three models of cardiovascular patches, as previously requested by the Korea Congenital Heart Disease Patient Group and the Korean Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Gore used to supply only seven models of artificial vessels, eight models of sutures, and one cardiovascular patch.

“We will continue to strive for a stable import and supply of medical devices used for patients with rare and intractable diseases, which can be in short supply when left to the market’s function alone,” the ministry said.

lhs@docdocdoc.co.kr

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