BME PhD Preliminary Exam Announcement for Sergio Ruiz Vega (H. Lee, advisor) Everyone is invited to attend the public presentation beginning at 2:00 pm. Research title: Innovation on catheter designs for cerebrovascular disease treatment Date: November 20, 2024 Time: 2:00 pm Location: MJIS 2001 Thesis committee members: Hyowon Lee (chair), Chi Hwan Lee, Sunghee Park, Daniel Sahlein Abstract: Cerebrovascular diseases rank as the second leading cause of death globally, resulting in 6.2 million fatalities annually. These conditions disrupt blood flow in the brain due to vessel narrowing (stenosis), clot formation (thrombosis), artery blockage (embolism), or vessel rupture (hemorrhage). Among cerebrovascular diseases, stroke and aneurysm are the most prevalent. Stroke occurs when a blood clot obstructs an artery, impeding cerebral circulation, while an aneurysm involves the dilation of vessel walls, which can rupture if untreated. Advancements in endovascular therapies have improved the safety and efficiency of treating these conditions compared to traditional surgical methods. Neurointerventionalists can now perform minimally invasive procedures using catheters, reducing both procedure time and recovery periods. Despite these advancements in endovascular therapies, significant challenges still contribute to complications during these procedures. We introduce two catheter innovations designed to enhance the treatment of stroke and aneurysm. Mechanical thrombectomy is an endovascular therapy that employs an aspiration catheter to remove the blood clot responsible for a stroke. However, successful clot removal on the first attempt occurs in less than 25% of patients, leading to longer procedure times and reduced survival rates. To address this, we developed a passive clot-trapping microstructure at the tip of aspiration catheters, designed to increase the force applied during clot extraction. Another endovascular therapy, aneurysm embolization, involves using a detachable coil to fill the aneurysm sac, thereby reducing the risk of rupture. However, this method has been associated with long-term complications, including incomplete aneurysmal occlusion and aneurysm recurrence. To improve outcomes, we are developing a packaging-delivery device that utilizes a novel shape memory polymer, offering a patient-specific approach to aneurysm embolization therapy. These innovations have the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness and safety of stroke and aneurysm treatments, leading to better patient outcomes. -- Bmeroundtable-list mailing list Bmeroundtable-list@ecn.purdue.edu https://engineering.purdue.edu/ECN/mailman/listinfo/bmeroundtable-list