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

Houston, Texas (January 3, 2018) - Baylor St. Luke&'s Medical Center (Baylor St. Luke&'s) is the first hospital in Texas to treat patients using PulseRider, a revolutionary neurovascular device that enables minimally invasive endovascular treatment of patients diagnosed with wide-necked bifurcation 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 point and is used in conjunction with coil embolization. During coil embolization, platinum coils are placed into the aneurysm to seal it off to avoid rupture or hemorrhage. The PulseRider allows the physician to easily reposition the device during the procedure, leaves 90 percent less metal inside the patient than traditional stenting, and conforms 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 open 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., Baylor College of Medicine neurosurgeon at Baylor St. Luke&'s. “The PulseRider offers a potentially curative treatment option for patients suffering from wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms. We are proud to treat the first patient in Texas using this leading-edge technology.”

The neuroscience services 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, and is dedicated to the highest levels of neurological and neurosurgical care.

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 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.