Description
Novel catheter improves atherosclerosis treatment
UNMC inventors have developed an improved catheter designed to better deliver therapeutics to high-risk plaques in coronary arteries.
Coronary artery disease, or atherosclerosis, accounts for 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S., usually when the vulnerable, fatty plaques accumulated in the coronary artery suddenly rupture. Such ruptures often lead to the formation of a blood clot that can cause a heart attack or stroke. Currently employed devices that physically interact with these plaques pose a high risk of ruptures. However, stabilizing the plaques with therapeutics could dramatically reduce the possibility of a heart attack.
The new catheter’s sophisticated design reduces the likelihood that blood flow will wash out the drug, while preventing contact with the plaque. The new catheter design also enables drug delivery at high concentrations and with high efficacy without drug toxicity in the patient.
To learn more about this technology, contact Amanda Hawley, PhD, at ahawley@unmc.edu or 402-310-5602.
