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BackTable / VI / Podcast / Episode #406
Biodegradable Flow Diverters for Cerebral Aneurysms
with Dr. Alim Mitha
In this episode of the Back Table Innovation Podcast, host Dr. Diana Velazquez-Pimentel, a radiologist and biomedical engineer, chats with Dr. Alim Mitha about the novel idea of biodegradable flow diverters and the future of interventional neuroradiology. Dr. Mitha is a cerebrovascular, endovascular, and skull base neurosurgeon and biomedical engineer at the University of Calgary.
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BackTable, LLC (Producer). (2024, January 17). Ep. 406 – Biodegradable Flow Diverters for Cerebral Aneurysms [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.backtable.com
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Podcast Contributors
Dr. Alim Mitha
Dr. Alim Mitha is a cerebrovascular / endovascular / skull base neurosurgeon at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary, Canada, and the co-founder, president, and CTO of Fluid Biomed Inc.
Dr. Diana Velazquez-Pimentel
Dr. Diana Velazquez-Pimentel is practicing physician and an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur in London.
Synopsis
During his neurosurgery residency, Dr. Mitha also completed a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. Afterwards, he pursued additional fellowships in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery, as well as endovascular neurosurgery. Since then, he has started a research lab focused on tissue engineering and biomedical device development. He explains the role of flow diverters and how they are used to guide blood flow away from the intracranial aneurysms.
While flow diverters have been applied to treatment of many different types of aneurysms, Dr. Mitha notes that these devices carry thrombogenic risks. During his training, he saw that it was not preferable to deploy a flow diverter in a young patient who would have to remain on antiplatelet therapy for the rest of their life. As a result, Dr. Mitha began to develop a polymer-based biodegradable flow diverter that could be absorbed by the body after the aneurysm had been occluded, in addition to being visible on non-invasive imaging. He explains the process of building a prototype, incorporating a company, joining a start-up incubator, and now performing first in-human-clinical trials.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
03:05 - Understanding the Role of Flow Diverters
08:17 - The Conception of a Biodegradable Flow Diverter
11:35 - The Challenges and Successes in Prototyping
13:53 - A Path Towards Commercialization
16:10 - Considerations for Clinical Adoption
24:00 - Developing Skills for Engineering and Entrepreneurship
27:29 - First-In-Human Trials and Early Feedback
30:36 - Innovating Within the University of Calgary
Resources
University of Calgary Creative Destruction Lab:
https://creativedestructionlab.com/locations/calgary/
The Brain Conferences:
https://www.fens.org/meetings/the-brain-conferences
Transcript Preview
[Dr. Diana Velazquez-Pimentel]
Great. Interventional neuroradiology might be new to a lot of our listeners, so why don't we take it right from the top? Can you just briefly explain to us what is a flow diverter and what is its role in interventional neuroradiology?
[Dr. Alim Mitha]
Yes. A flow diverter is a metal mesh that is placed inside the blood vessel to treat an aneurysm as opposed to traditional ways of treating an aneurysm through the blood vessels, which includes coiling and requiring the catheter to get into the weakest part of the aneurysm. A flow diverter is very different, in that it is placed in the main blood vessel but not into the aneurysm itself. It has enough material, typically metal, that allows it to divert blood flow away from the aneurysm, causing it to clot off.
[Dr. Diana Velazquez-Pimentel]
Awesome. Is this essentially like an endoluminal reconstruction? That is what's jumping into my mind.
[Dr. Alim Mitha]
Exactly. It's a two-phased approach to treating an aneurysm. The first phase is actually diverting the blood flow and causing the aneurysm to clot off. Then, the second phase is that endoluminal reconstruction that you mentioned, which includes endothelial cells from the patient's body, lining up over the aneurysm neck in order to completely exclude the aneurysm from the circulation.
Disclaimer: The Materials available on BackTable.com are for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for the professional judgment of a healthcare professional in diagnosing and treating patients. The opinions expressed by participants of the BackTable Podcast belong solely to the participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views of BackTable.
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