Kenny Nguyen/Dr. Jonathan Weinsaft - Week 5

 Week 5: 07/03/23 – 07/07/23

I spent the fifth week of my Summer Immersion shadowing cardiac catheterization procedures and continuing volumetric analysis of cardiac MRI scans. I was able to learn more about the different types of stents utilized during procedures such as drug-eluting stents (DES) and bare-metal stents. Both devices act as scaffolding and maintain the integrity of the treated artery. DES are cylindrical, mesh-like metal devices that are coated with a thin layer of anti-proliferative or anti-restenotic medication to prevent the growth of smooth muscle cells. The drug coating allows for controlled release of medication into surrounding tissue over a period of time and allow for healthy cells to grow over the surface. Traditional bare-metal stents are similar to DES except they do not have a layer of medication. One drawback of stents is that restenosis (re-narrowing of artery due to formation of scar tissue) can occur which lead to recurrent symptoms; and as a result, advancements in stent technology are still needed. It was interesting to hear about the complexity of the stent’s structure despite its small design.

Another unique piece of technology that I saw during catheterization procedures was the use of Perclose, a vascular closure device. When the procedure was done, Perclose was used to deliver a percutaneous suture in the access site. Perclose uses a suture-mediated closure technique where the device delivers a pre-tied suture within the artery. Next, the suture is cinched down to the vessel to achieve hemostasis. Traditional methods require individual sutures to be cut and tied. I learned from that Perclose’s method is faster compared to traditional methods and can provide consistent closure results. 

Overall, this experience was very enriching as I was able to learn about the iterative development of stents and witness suture-mediated technology improve patient outcome and reduce adverse side effects.  

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