Friday Facts!

Innovative Cardiac Technologies on the Horizon

An article published by Harvard Mesical School discusses five new cardiac devices and procedures that are on the horizon that could being big changes to treatment!

1. Google Glass : handsfree headset resembling eyeglasses that allows the physician to record and transmit images wirelessly during procedures, such as coronary angiography.

2. Bioresorbable Stents : currently used mesh-like stents can develop clots over time. Bioresorbable stents gradually dissolve within a year, reducing the risk of new clot formation related to stent placement. This technology is still under revisions but may be seen in the future!

3. Leadless Pacemaker : some of the most common malfunctions of present-day pacemakers are related to the leads. This leafless unit is placed on the inside wall of the heart through a catheter. The first version of a single chamber pacemaker placed in the RV looks promising and future versions are a good possibility.

4. Valve in Valve Procedure : heart valves made from animal tissue are being used more often due to the lower risk of clot formation as compared to mechanical valves. These valves typically don't last as long and require a second surgery to replace. Valve-in-valve involves placing a new animal tissue valve through a catheter to the site of the failing tissue. Further research is being done, but this will be a great alternative and reduce surgical necessity for those with failing animal tissue valves.

5. Protein Patch for Heart Muscle Growth : a team of health and bioengineering experts discovered a natural protein that aids in the growth of normal tissue. A study showed that when a patch containing this protein was sewn onto damaged heart muscle of mice and pigs , the muscle tissue started to repair and function improved to near normal. Human clinical trials are hoped to be in the near future!

Resource: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/5-new-cardiac-technologies-to-watch