New 3D stent trial at Baton Rouge General

Device makes surgery safer for patients, allows surgeons to see more during procedure

Baton Rouge, La. – A patient at Baton Rouge General was the first in the nation to participate in a study using the Avinger Pantheris 3D technology for a new Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) surgery.

Vascular surgeon Dr. Glen Schwartzberg was the first physician to use the 3D device to clear plaque from a stent in the PAD patient’s leg, returning blood flow to its normal rate and reducing the risk for amputation. A maximum of 140 patients will be enrolled in the clinical trial at up to 20 facilities worldwide.

Affecting approximately 20 million adults in the U.S. and more than 200 million people globally, PAD is a recurring build-up of plaque in the arteries that limits blood flow to the legs and feet. Often dismissed as normal signs of aging, symptoms of PAD include painful cramping, numbness or discoloration in the legs or feet. PAD is the leading cause of amputation in people age 50 and older.

“The Pantheris device has been a game-changer for treating hardening of the arteries for the past two years,” said Dr. Schwartzberg. “Using lumivascular technology to clear stents lets us see the entire area we’re working with so we can be more thorough. It also reduces the time patients are in surgery, allowing them to recover faster.”

Currently, the most widely used FDA-approved treatment option for cleaning plaque from stents has doctors relying solely on X-ray and their sense of touch to guide their tools while trying to navigate devices and clear plaque. The lumivascular approach allows surgeons to see three-dimensional images from inside the artery.

“We are pleased to initiate this new trial to gather additional data on the benefits of the Pantheris Lumivascular Atherectomy System and increase its use. I was particularly excited to join Dr. Schwartzberg and the welcoming caregivers at Baton Rouge General for the first case of this important study,” said John B. Simpson, PhD, MD, Avinger’s founder and executive chairman.

Learn more about heart and vascular issues and treatment at BRGeneral.org/Heart.

About Baton Rouge General Medical Center
Baton Rouge General Medical Center is the area’s first community hospital with 588 licensed beds between two campuses. Baton Rouge General opened its doors in 1900, and has provided the Greater Baton Rouge community with high-quality healthcare for generations. An accredited teaching hospital since 1991, Baton Rouge General offers other medical education programs, including a School of Nursing, School of Radiologic Technology, Family Medicine Residency Program, Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Sports Medicine Fellowship Program. For more information, visit BRGeneral.org, find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/BatonRougeGeneral and follow us on Twitter at @BRGeneral.