Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton has become the first hospital in Southwest Florida to use a newly FDA-approved device for patients whose heart arteries narrow again inside a previously placed stent. The SELUTION SLR Drug-Eluting Balloon, made by Cordis and approved in September, offers an alternative to the standard practice of placing yet another stent inside the first one.
During the procedure, a cardiologist inflates the balloon at the narrowed area to deliver the medication sirolimus directly to the artery wall. The balloon is then removed, leaving no permanent implant behind. The coating continues releasing medication for as long as 90 days. In a clinical trial involving more than 400 patients, the device performed as well as standard treatment at the 12-month mark.
Dr. James Nguyen, an interventional cardiologist at Manatee Memorial, performed the first procedure, and Dr. S. Jay Mathews performed the second. As Dr. Nguyen explained, instead of automatically adding another layer of metal, physicians can deliver medication directly to the vessel wall and remove the balloon. For appropriately selected patients, he said, that can be a very attractive treatment strategy. If you have a stent and want to know whether this option might apply to you, that’s a conversation to have with your cardiologist.
Have you or someone you know dealt with a stent that narrowed again? Tell us your story in the comments.
