INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY
New Technology First in Dallas
New to the specialized interventional procedures in fiscal year 2018 is the EKOS system . The only one of its kind on the market today , this technology for interventional cardiologists , vascular surgeons and pulmonologists is used for the treatment of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis . The technology helps improve the efficiency of the thrombolytic process and reduce the treatment time and total lytic dose , thereby reducing the associated bleeding risk and overall cost of therapy . Comprehensive training on this new technology was completed in May of 2018 .
Ekosonic™ Endovascular System is indicated for :
• Controlled and selective infusion of physicianspecified fluids , including thrombolytics , into the peripheral vasculature
• Infusion of solutions into the pulmonary arteries
• The ultrasound facilitated , controlled and selective infusion of physician-specified fluids , including thrombolytics , into the vasculature for the treatment of pulmonary embolism
• Controlled and selective infusion of physicianspecified fluids , including thrombolytics , into the peripheral vasculature
• Intended for the treatment of pulmonary embolism patients with ≥50 percent clot burden in one or both main pulmonary arteries or lobar pulmonary arteries , and evidence of right heart dysfunction based on right heart pressures ( mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25 mmHg ) or echocardiographic evaluation .
Clinical Trials
Physicians on the medical staff have published numerous articles on important research regarding cardiac stents . The first drug-eluting stent in Texas was placed in our catheterization lab as part of the very early years for the SIRIUS trial .* Throughout the years , clinical trials have been a mainstay in the interventional cardiology arena on the Dallas campus .
Trials in fiscal year 2018 have included :
• Treatment of coronary artery disease with the newest generations of drug-eluting stents
• New dosing strategies for medications used to prevent clots in stents
• Gene therapy for coronary disease not treatable with balloons and stents
• Treatment of stenosis in the renal ( kidney ) arteries in patients with refractory high blood pressure
• New devices and stents to treat peripheral arterial disease
• Stents for the carotid arteries
• Closure for atrial septal defects and patent foramen ovale
* Note about the SIRIUS clinical trial : Baylor Dallas was an original site . Trial was open from 2000 to 2005 .
Images courtesy of BTG International , Ltd .
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