Tom Torres
Tom Torres, Director of Sales, David Schnurr Associates
Tom Torres brings 20+ years of medical device industry experience. He has worked with startups and multinational OEMs to assist with material selection and catheter design, development, and manufacturing for applications including neurovascular, structural heart, and electrophysiology. He has also been involved with manufacturing transfers from California to Ireland. In his ten years as Director of Sales for David Schnur Associates (DSA), Tom has played a major role in propelling DSA to become a leading global provider of outsourced technical sales and marketing services for the medical device industry. DSA associates around the globe leverage a network of material, component, and service partners to help customers objectively identify the right technology and solutions for a successful program. Tom has bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
New Developments in Catheter Manufacturing
Catheter-based delivery system performance requirements continue to evolve to meet the demands of
complex target therapies. Device size is getting both smaller to access more intricate anatomical pathways and larger to accommodate applications such as structural heart and surgical robotics. The industry is responding with a host of developments to support these complex requirements. Advancements in steerable technology have enabled more targeted therapies. The integration of sensing and energy delivery technology is creating a new platform of smart catheters. Innovations in materials, such as ultra-thin-wall extrusions and unique thin-wall heat shrink tubing, is enhancing device flexibility and performance. Advanced catheter tipping techniques are enabling complex tip geometries that expand a device's reach to treat specific areas. Combining metals and polymers is providing new options to optimize strength and flexibility. Quick-turn prototyping is allowing faster iterations. These and other advancements are opening exciting new frontiers in catheter design and manufacturing.