FDA approves new use for Boston Scientific stent

NATICK, Mass.

Federal regulators approved a stent developed by Boston Scientific that is intended to get blood to the legs, the medical device maker said Thursday.

The stent is already approved for use in the abdomen's biliary duct and has been approved for use in the pelvis in several international markets, the company said.

The Natick, Mass.-based company said it will launch its Express LD Iliac Premounted Stent System immediately.

The stent, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is a flexible, balloon-expanding instrument used to treat iliac artery disease. The disease occurs when plaque builds in arteries that supply blood to the legs in the pelvic region and can restrict blood flow or cause leg pain and other complications.

Shares of Boston Scientific Corp. rose 10 cents, or 1.3 percent, to $7.75.