Kaminari Medical

PROBLEM
Insufficient treatment of vulnerable plaque in the coronary arteries lead to costly and health impairing re-catheterizations

In 2015, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) affected 110 million people and resulted in 8.9 million deaths worldwide. CAD occurs when the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood become hardened and narrowed, due to the buildup of cholesterol and plaque on their inner walls.
Current treatment: To open the blocked coronary arteries, 80% of the patients are treated using a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).

– Of those patients treated with PCI, 12% get a re-catheterization within 12
months after the initial procedure.
– Total costs for these re-catheterizations are estimated at $ 3,5 billion.
50% of these re-catheterizations are caused by a type of stenosis called
vulnerable plaques, that are formed by fat-filled cells with a thin cover. If
the cover ruptures a blood clot is formed, blocking the coronary artery.
– If these vulnerable plaques were treated in an early stage, repeat
catheterizations could be prevented.

SOLUTION
Kaminari combines ultrasound (IVUS) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging, providing better information on both plaque location and composition.

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