Baylor St. Luke's First in Texas to Offer PulseRider Technology for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Complex Brain Aneurysms

Houston, TX (February 23, 2018) — Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (Baylor St. Luke’s) is the first hospital in Texas to treat neurological patients using PulseRider, a revolutionary neurovascular device that enables minimally invasive endovascular treatment of patients diagnosed with wide-necked basilar apex aneurysms, which are complex brain aneurysms originating on or near a vessel bifurcation at the base of the skull.

The PulseRider technology acts as a neck bridge for wide-neck aneurysms arising at or near a vessel bifurcation or branch and is used in a two-hour, FDA-approved procedure designed to allow for a safe, minimally invasive treatment known as coil embolization. During coil embolization, a self-expanding implant is placed at the site of the aneurysm and expands to seal off the faulty blood vessel to avoid rupture or hemorrhage. Additional benefits of the PulseRider include allowing the physician to easily reposition the device during the procedure for improved outcomes, 90 percent less metal used inside the patient than traditional stenting, and the ability of the device to conform to the variable anatomy of each patient’s aneurysm.

The recovery period for patients who undergo treatment utilizing the PulseRider is generally shorter than that of traditional aneurysm procedures. The first patient to undergo this treatment at Baylor St. Luke’s was observed ambulating shortly following surgery and then discharged from the hospital the following day.

“Baylor St. Luke’s is committed to delivering the most effective treatment options to meet the needs of all neurological patients,” said Peter Kan, M.D., neurologist at Baylor St. Luke’s. “The PulseRider offers a potentially life-changing neurological treatment option for patients suffering from wide-necked basilar apex aneurysms. We are proud to treat the first patient in Texas using this leading-edge technology.”

Dedicated to the highest levels of neurological care, the neurology department at Baylor St. Luke’s in Houston’s renowned Texas Medical Center welcomes the PulseRider as a new era in the treatment of complex brain aneurysms.

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About Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center

Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center is an 881-bed quaternary care hospital that is part of the Texas Division of St. Luke’s Health. Located in the Texas Medical Center, the hospital is the home of the Texas Heart® Institute, a world-class cardiovascular research and education institution founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD—consistently ranked as one of the nation’s best in Cardiovascular Services & Heart Surgery. The hospital holds a collaborative partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and was the first hospital in Texas and the Southwest designated a Magnet® hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, receiving the award four consecutive times. Baylor St. Luke’s also has three community emergency centers offering adult and pediatric care for the Greater Houston area.