Antwerp student develops alternative to bypass surgery
A UAntwerp grad student has won the national James Dyson Award for her invention, which greatly reduces the risks and recuperation time associated with bypass surgery
Avoiding surgery
A bypass surgery is necessary when a part of a coronary artery, which pumps blood to the heart, becomes too narrow. Surgeons take part of another blood vessel – from the leg, for example, and link an artery from the chest with the coronary artery – bypassing the narrow section.
“Surgeons need to cut the chest open, and it often concerns quite elderly patients,” Palmers told Gazet van Antwerpen. “The patients often face a three-month rehabilitation period.”
Palmers’ LADflow links two separate arteries through a tube to create the bypass. The tube is inserted with a catheter via the wrist or groin and led to the heart, where it links the arteries with little hooks. Because the chest doesn’t need to be opened up, patients should recuperate in about a week.
LADflow has been tested on pig hearts, but not yet on living animals. Palmers is looking for funding to carry out further tests and eventually market the device.
Palmers has won £2,000 (€2,200) as part of the award. The winner of the international James Dyson Award competition, in which Palmers will compete with inventors from 21 other countries, is announced next month.
