Smart stent

Approximately one third of patients who have had a stent implanted to restore arterial patency face the problem of restenosis – repeated narrowing of the vessel lumen due to the accumulation of platelets on the stent itself or in the scar area.

A group from the University of British Columbia (University of British Columbia, Canada), led by Professor Kenichi Takahata, has developed a "smart" stent that, after installation, tracks the smallest changes in blood flow and detects narrowing at the earliest stages, making early diagnosis and timely treatment possible. To do this, the stent was modified by adding a special micro sensor that records the parameters of the blood flow through it. The data is transmitted wirelessly to an external reader.

The stent does not differ in appearance from most models used today, it is made of stainless medical steel and can be implanted using existing techniques.

Monitoring of restenosis is of great importance for the patient. Previously, X–ray diagnostic methods were used for this - computed tomography or angiography. The installation of a "smart" stent will give doctors the opportunity to monitor the patient's health and diagnose emerging disorders in a timely manner without the risk of complications and costs.

The prototype of the device was successfully tested in vitro and on pigs. The Group has received a patent for the technology and is looking for partners to further improve the device, conduct clinical research and implement it into clinical practice.

Article by X. Chen et al. Medical Implants: Enabling Angioplasty‐Ready “Smart” Stents to Detect In‐Stent Restenosis and Occlusion is published in the journal Advanced Science.

Aminat Adzhieva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to UBC News: 'Smart stent' detects narrowing of arteries.