Medtronic has entered a distribution agreement with Merit Medical Systems to offer the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared ViaVerte, a minimally invasive and implant-free basivertebral nerve ablation (BVNA) system.

ViaVerte is the first and only BVMA system with a physician-controlled, steerable mechanism for precise basivertebral nerve targeting for chronic vertebrogenic lower back pain. Merit currently supplies Medtronic’s Kyphon Xpander inflation syringes used in balloon kyphoplasty procedures and Kyphon KyphoFlex unipedicular steerable balloon catheter to treat vertebral compression fractures.

The BVNA system will become available later this year. It provides a minimally invasive, same-day outpatient procedure.

“For 50 years, we have advanced how chronic pain is treated,” said Paolo Di Vincenzo, president of Medtronic Neuromodulation. “Adding ViaVerte Basivertebral Nerve Ablation expands our world-leading pain interventions portfolio and gives patients and their physicians another meaningful option for lasting relief.”

“We are thrilled to expand our ongoing business relationship with Medtronic by providing Merit’s proprietary articulating technology,” added Michael Blackham, executive vice president, Global OEM, Merit Medical Systems. “We believe ViaVerte represents a significant advancement in the BVNA market.”

Medtronic’s portfolio of pain therapies includes spinal cord stimulation, vertebral augmentation, nerve ablation, bone tumor ablation, and targeted drug delivery. Adding an advanced steerable BVNA solution grows the portfolio to meet the growing demand for this expanded therapy option.

Last month, the company announced that it received FDA clearance for its Stealth AXiS surgical system, a next-gen platform that merges planning, navigation, and robotics into one intelligent system for spine surgery.