Optical Coherence Reflectometry Used in Cardiovascular Study

This allows doctors to "see” into the plaque so they can navigate through the blockage with ultrasonic energy. Once a pathway has been cleared, traditional angioplasty treatment begins, which includes the use of balloons to open the artery and stents to keep the artery open.

Fifteen hospitals nationwide are participating in the trial, intended to determine the safety and effectiveness of the guide wire. The OCR device was developed by IntraLumenal (Carlsbad, CA, USA). The company is developing a family of products specifically for safely crossing and recanalizing total occlusions.

"Blocked arteries are extremely challenging to treat, but with this new device, many patients can be treated quickly and effectively, without taking drastic measures such as bypass surgery,” said Tom Biggs, M.D., of United Hospital (St. Paul, MN, USA).





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IntraLumenal
United Hospital