UF Health First To Place Kidney-Assist Device That Might Help Patients With Congestive Heart Failure
University of Florida Health researchers recently became the first to temporarily implant a new device in a patient with congestive heart failure, a procedure that one day could help physicians manage this potentially deadly condition.
Physicians in the UF College of Medicine’s department of urology and division of cardiovascular medicine performed the first-in-human use of the JuxtaFlow® renal negative pressure treatment device in April after enrolling the first patient in a clinical trial to evaluate its safety and effectiveness.
The JuxtaFlow® System being developed by 3ive (pronounced thrive) Labs LLC, is designed to help restore kidney function and increase urine output in patients who have not responded well to diuretics. Researchers said if successful, it also might offer a less invasive option for treating congestive heart failure patients with reduced kidney function than dialysis, which requires placement of a catheter in a blood vessel. Dialysis also requires the patient to endure long sessions to filter the blood for excess fluid and waste products.
“This is a brand-new idea on how we can potentially treat these patients,” said Alex M. Parker, M.D., an assistant professor in the UF College of Medicine’s division of cardiovascular medicine and principal investigator of the UF Health portion of the trial. “This could be an entirely new pathway for patients in the future. But first, we have to make sure it’s safe and effective. And that’s what this trial is testing.”
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