King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital has become the first facility in the Kingdom to begin clinical research and now offer a new type of angioplasty procedure with the DynamX bioadaptor implant, an innovation beyond stents designed to restore vessel function. The bioadaptor is a transforming implant that, after the period of healing, unlocks and allows the artery to pulse and function more naturally in response to a patient’s exertion and heart’s changing needs. More normal artery motion and expansion help the artery restore its healthy function and reduce the risks of secondary adverse events such as heart attacks or repeat procedures. The new procedure is being offered to patients under the leadership of Dr. Mirvat Alasnag, head of catheterization lab; Dr. Khalid Al-Shaibi, director of cardiac center; and interventional cardiologists Dr. Waqar Ahmed, Dr. Salem Assiri, and Dr. Sultan Al-Otaibi.
“We are pleased to offer bioadaptive angioplasty at King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital to patients suffering from coronary artery disease, and especially for those who are younger and seek to reclaim an active lifestyle,” said Dr. Alasnag.
King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, one of the premier hospitals and clinical research centers, is also participating in the global BIO-RESTORE post-market registry for the bioadaptor to generate diverse, in-market experience, specifically in Saudi patients.
The bioadaptor is a metallic coronary device that is implanted via a minimally invasive angioplasty procedure. It is designed to provide dynamic vessel support and establish adaptive hemodynamic modulation of the artery, enabling vessel function and motion and increased blood flow. It consists of three thin metal alloy helical strands held together temporarily by a bioabsorbable coating to provide strength when opening artery blockage. Unlike traditional stents, after the period of healing and coating resorption in the first six months, the bioadaptor unlocks and the helical strands separate thereby uncaging the vessel and establishing more natural and dynamic support of artery motion and function.
Bioadaptors can also expand slowly over time along with the artery in order to maintain good blood flow. Recent findings also show stabilization and even shrinking of plaque volume in arteries treated with bioadaptors.
Coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease in the world and a leading cause of death. It is caused by a buildup of fatty deposits and other substances in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart and other parts of the body. Over time, the buildup causes the inside of the arteries to stiffen and narrow, and lose their natural functions, which can partially or totally block the flow of blood and nutrients to the heart. Chest pain is the most common symptom of CAD. For many people, a heart attack is the first sign that they have CAD.
