Michigan Vascular Center - Research Department
During the 1990's Michigan Vascular Center (MVC) surgeons traveled abroad to learn the new technique of carotid artery stenting. This was long before FDA approval of the devices in the United States. These devices could only be used in the US in patients enrolled in a clinical trial. Michigan Vascular Research Department was created to facilitate clinical trials in our community. This was one of the very first research departments outside of a University setting.
Michigan Vascular Research Department now employs specifically educated staff to manage and operate the department, screening new trials, matching patients with appropriate trils, enrolling patients into trials, and ensuring compliance with all of the regulatory matters. Nine vascular surgeons, a nurse practitioner, a physician assistant, two clinical research coordinators and a research assistant comprise our team.
Why Choose Michigan Vascular For Research?
By participating in a clinical trial a patient gains access to treatments or procedures not yet available in the community. In fact, Michigan Vascular Center has taken a leadership role in bringing state-of-the-art endovascular treatments to Michigan:
- First in Michigan to implant a FDA approved carotid stent manufactured by Guidant, Inc. in September 2004.
- First and only site in Michigan to implant a superficial femoral artery drug-coated stent manufactured by Cook, Inc. in October 2005.
- First in Michigan to implant a FDA approved abdominal aortic aneurysm pressure monitoring device, manufactured by CardioMEMS in June 2006. This device is placed in the AAA sac at the time of endograft repair in order to remotely measure sac pressure over time.
Since its formation in 1998, we have participated in numerous device, drug and investigator-initiated trials. Without clinical research, medical and surgical innovations could not occur. Because our generation and generations to come rely on today’s clinical research efforts, we are committed to offering innovative and otherwise unavailable treatments to our patients.