Catherization Laboratory: Research

Ongoing research opportunities within the Catheterization Lab include an extensive outcomes database and collaboration within the Northern New England Cardiovascular Study Group, and an extensive cath lab database with clinical outcomes. Device trials including new stent designs, distal protection devices, total occlusion devices, thrombectomy in AMI, and coated stent trials. Pharmaceutical trails include thrombolytics, glycoprotein 2b3a inhibitors, thrombin inhibitors, and myocardial preservation. The Angiogenesis Research Center pursues clinical and bench research in angiogenesis. A NOGA electromechanical mapping system is being installed in the biplane cardiac catheterization laboratory to assist in angiogenesis and myogenesis research. Over the last 15 years the cardiac catheterization laboratory has collaborated with industry to develop and validate x-ray imaging systems, hemodynamic monitors, contrast injectors, and catheterization database and report generators. A new cardiac imaging center with expertise in cardiac MRI will add synergy to traditional imaging modalities, and offer the possibility of developing interventional cardiac MRI.

View a PowerPoint overview of CATH LAB RESEARCH PROTOCOLS.

Ongoing Clinical Trials in the Catheterization Lab include:

Berlex Trial: This is a double-blind, placebo controlled randomized study in patients with symptomatic angina, designed to test whether intracoronary injection of a viral vector carrying the gene for an angiogenic protein (FGF-4) will promote the formation of new blood vessels in the heart and improve both symptom status (reduce angina and increase exercise ability) and reduce coronary events.
Principle Investigator: Nathanial Niles, MD
Study Coordinator: Sharon Segal, RN

GREAT (Guided Radio Frequency Energy Ablation of Total Occlusions) Trial: This is multicenter controlled trial to establish the safety and efficacy of the "IntraLuminal Safe-Cross Radio Frequency Total Occlusion System" when used to cross occluded native coronary arteries during an interventional procedure.
Principal Investigator: John Robb, MD
Sub-Investigator: John Jayne, MD

CAPTIVE (CardioShield Application Protects During Transluminal Intervention of Vein Grafts by Reducing Emboli) Trial: This is a multicenter randomized trial designed to establish the safety and efficacy of the MedNMova CardioShield Bare Wire Myocardial Protection System during PTCA and and stent treatment of coronary saphenous vein graft lesions.
Principal Investigator: John Robb, MD
Sub-Investigators: Bruce Friedman, MD, Bruce Hettleman, MD, John Jayne, MD, and Nathanial Niles, MD

For more information on research at DHMC, or learn if you or one of your patients may qualify for entry, visit our Cardiology Research Page or contact our research coordinator at (603) 650-6228.