Project description
A protective device against embolism
Aortic valve diseases may require surgical replacement of the defective valve. This is often performed through a procedure known as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), which involves the insertion of a catheter into a blood vessel to reach the heart and fix the valve. However, TAVI carries the risk of releasing embolic particles from the natural aortic valve to the blood flow which can reach the brain or other organs, with debilitating consequences. The key objective of the EU-funded Filterlex project is to prevent such complications and reduce the risk of stroke during catheter-based structural heart procedures. To that end, the project has developed a protective device that is placed on the aorta during the TAVI procedure to capture and remove embolic particles.
Objective
Aortic stenosis is the most common and most serious heart valve problem. It leads to shortness of breath, angina, blackouts and in severe cases: sudden death. This condition presents 2-9% of general population over 65 years old. Trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a standard therapeutic option for patients with severe aortic stenosis condition. However, during maneuvering, positioning and deployment of the new valve using catheter, embolic particles are released from the natural aortic valve to the vascular system, making TAVI procedure unsafe. Filterlex is a novel intra-aortic protection device for deflecting, capturing and removing embolic particles during catheter-based left-heart procedures. Easily positioned, deployed and retrieved, the device provides complete celebral protection during valve implantation. The device provides full body protection from embolic showers, and thus, makes TAVI procedure safe.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
20692 Yokneam
Israel
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.