The AGENT™ Drug-Coated Balloon was approved by the FDA in early 2024. It was used for the first time in West Virginia by CAMC’s cath lab team: Elie Gharib, MD, Cath Lab Director and Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program Director; Aldino Cellini, MD, Interventional Cardiology Fellow; and Said Hajouli, MD, Cardiovascular Disease Chief Fellow.
While drug-eluting stents used to treat blocked coronary arteries provide good results for many patients, in-stent restenosis (ISR) may still occur. In this condition, a previously stented artery becomes re-narrowed or blocked by scar tissue or plaque. In-stent restenosis accounts for 10% of all percutaneous coronary interventions in the U.S. Patients may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, weakness, irregular or fast heartbeat and sweating.
The AGENT™ Drug-Coated Balloon is the first drug-coated coronary balloon in the U.S. designed to treat coronary in-stent restenosis in patients with coronary artery disease.
Following proper preparation to re-open a previously stented artery that has re-narrowed due to plaque or scar tissue, the device is inserted and transfers a therapeutic drug to the artery wall to help prevent ISR recurrence.
“We are proud to bring this innovative technology to our community,” Gharib said. “It is exciting to be able to give patients another treatment option.”
