New optical guidewires for treating blocked coronary arteries
Official title: Metasurface Optical Guidewire for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-10865571 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing new, flexible guidewires that use special light technology to help doctors treat blocked arteries in patients with hard, calcified arteries, making heart procedures safer and more effective.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | August 20, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $134,151 |
| NIH project number | 1K99HL173631-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10865571 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients suffering from coronary artery disease with significant arterial calcification.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-calcified coronary artery disease or those who are not candidates for PCI may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing innovative metasurface optical guidewires to improve the treatment of coronary artery disease, particularly in patients with calcified arteries. The approach involves creating small, flexible guidewires that can deliver energy effectively to help open up blocked arteries during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). By enhancing the delivery of therapeutic energy, these guidewires aim to overcome the challenges posed by arterial calcification, which complicates traditional stent deployment and expansion. The project utilizes advanced fiber-optic technologies to create a device that can improve the safety and efficacy of coronary interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for patients with severe coronary artery disease, reducing complications and improving outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using advanced optical technologies for medical devices, indicating potential success for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Katta, Nitesh — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Katta, Nitesh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Metasurface Optical Guidewire to Treat Coronary Artery Calcification
A new optical guidewire technology aims to improve safety and effectiveness of coronary interventions in people with calcified arteries.
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Using electronic health records to identify complications after heart procedures
This study is working on a smart way to spot problems that can happen after a common heart procedure called PCI, using computer programs to look at health records, so that doctors can better keep you safe and provide the best care possible.
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Expansion of PCI use in different communities and who benefits
Aims to understand how the growth of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in outpatient and inpatient settings affects disadvantaged communities differently from non-disadvantaged ones.
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Catheter that helps treat complex heart artery problems more safely
A new catheter device is being developed to help doctors deliver stents in very hard-to-treat heart artery cases, potentially making complex procedures safer and more effective.
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Catheter that helps deliver stents in tough heart arteries
A new guide-extension catheter system is being developed to safely reach and treat complex blockages in the heart’s blood vessels, especially where calcified and tortuous arteries make stent delivery hard.
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How expanding artery-opening (PCI) procedures affects disadvantaged versus other communities
This project looks at whether expanding artery-opening procedures (PCI) in hospitals and outpatient centers has helped or left behind people from disadvantaged communities with heart disease.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.