A new treatment for severe blockages in coronary arteries is available, and experts say the first patient to receive it was at St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center in Roslyn.
There, interventional cardiologists recently treated the patient using the Shockwave Javelin Coronary Intravascular Lithotripsy Catheter. Experts say the novel device from Johnson & Johnson’s MedTech advances treatment.
The procedure was led by Dr. Evan Shlofmitz, director of intravascular imaging, and Dr. Ziad Ali, director of the DeMatteis Cardiovascular Institute at St. Francis. The Javelin microcatheter was inserted into a heavily calcified artery to create a channel, which the hospital said enables the safe treatment of the obstruction.
“We are once again leading the way in implementing cutting-edge technology to deliver innovative cardiac solutions to our patients,” Dr. Charles Lucore, president of St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center, said in a news release about the procedure. “This reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing care and improving patient outcomes.”
Traditionally, physicians have used atherectomy – drilling through the blockage – to treat severely calcified coronary arteries, according to the hosptial. However, this method can produce debris that may further compromise blood flow.
But the Javelin catheter offers a less invasive and potentially safer alternative for patients with significant calcification, including those with blockages of 90 percent or more, according to the hospital. The catheter uses intravascular lithotripsy, a technology designed to break up hardened calcium deposits in arteries with sonic pressure waves, making vessel expansion safer and more effective.
“With the increased precision of the Javelin catheter, we can streamline the treatment process and improve outcomes. This procedure can be a game changer for patients with advanced coronary disease,” he said.
The procedure was conducted as part of a clinical study initiated by Shockwave Medical.
“The procedure was a success, and we look forward to offering this technology to more patients with severe coronary blockages at St. Francis,” Ali, who helped lead the first patient enrollment in the trial, said in the news release.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
