Limb-saving device wins FDA approval

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. health officials said on Friday they approved a device that could help save the arms and legs of injured soldiers and trauma victims.

The Temporary Limb Salvage Shunt, made by Terumo Corp.'s unit Vascutek Ltd., connects the ends of a severed blood vessel, providing a bridge around the damaged area and restoring blood flow to the injured limb, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.

The device can be implanted while the patient is on the battlefield or in a remote area to temporarily maintain blood flow until the patient can be taken to a surgical facility, the FDA added.

The agency said it reviewed the device in less than one week because it met a critical need.

"This device offers surgeons a new tool to potentially avoid the need for limb amputation following traumatic injury," Dr. Daniel Schultz, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, said in a statement.