FRANKLIN, Mass., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PLC Systems Inc. (Amex: PLC - News), a medical technology company focused on cardiac and vascular markets, today announced that it expects to initiate clinical studies for a new product initiative that has resulted from its ongoing work to broaden and diversify its product portfolio beyond its current TMR offerings. The new product initiative, Renal Guard(TM), is focused on protecting renal (kidney) function during medical procedures that utilize drugs or agents that are harmful to the kidneys. Specifically, contrast media is used by physicians in more than seven million interventional cardiology and interventional radiology procedures worldwide annually. While contrast media is a key imaging tool for these minimally invasive procedures, it can cause serious health issues for patients with reduced kidney function. A significant adverse effect of contrast agents is known as Contrast Induced Nephropathy (CIN), which is a form of Acute Renal Failure.
