New Technology Improves Accuracy of Heart Stent Placement

Coronary artery narrowing is a common and potentially life-threatening condition. Each year, more than six million stents are placed worldwide to restore blood flow to the heart. Yet, accurately positioning a stent remains a major challenge. Around 20% of all stents are placed near a vessel bifurcation, and nearly half of these are not ideally positioned. Small margins of error, patient movement, and limited visibility during procedures can lead to misplaced stents, leaving diseased areas untreated or obstructing other vessels. These complications often result in repeat interventions, increasing healthcare costs and patient risk.

To address this, we are developing an innovative medical tool that enables physicians to place stents more precisely and stably at complex vessel locations, such as the coronary artery entrance. The new device provides both visual and tactile feedback, improving placement accuracy while reducing the need for contrast agents and X-ray exposure. It is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing catheters and stents, supporting smooth adoption in clinical settings.

Building on a successfully tested prototype, the current project will optimize the device design, conduct preclinical validation in a pig model, and perform detailed imaging and histological analyses to assess precision and safety. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.

If successful, this project will pave the way for the first clinical trial and attract follow-up funding for human application. This collaboration unites engineers, clinicians, and industry experts to bring a safer, more efficient, and user-friendly solution for coronary interventions—ultimately improving outcomes for patients undergoing stent procedures.