Albert K. Chin, MD, recently announced advancements in cardiac support technology through PercAssist. Dr. Chin, chief innovation and product development officer, has contributed to the development of a new therapy for patients facing end-stage heart failure. Each year, there are more than 80,000 United States citizens who require a heart transplant. However, only 2,000 donor hearts are available and about 3,000 artificial hearts are implanted in patients each year. Dr. Chin’s solution aims to address this shortcoming.
“[More than] 75,000 patients are suffering,” Dr. Chin stated. “They’re extremely short of breath, they can’t walk and the medications don’t work.”
PercAssist’s Solution
PercAssist’s solution is essentially a balloon catheter. Rather than performing open-heart surgery, a surgeon inserts a balloon catheter into the pericardial sac, which inflates with the patient’s electrocardiogram. When the heart contracts, the balloon inflates and compresses it, assisting pumping action.
Developing a New Cardiac Support Technique
For Dr. Chin, the process of developing this balloon catheter solution involved a fortuitous series of events. A surgeon who had been using one of Dr. Chin’s other devices reached out to him while performing CPR on a patient. He asked why a bag couldn’t be placed around the heart and inflated to mimic the CPR process. Dr. Chin found the concept promising but soon learned that three companies had already obtained patents for the technique.
“Then I realized, in order to get the bag around the entire heart, you have to make a large incision in the pericardial sac,” Dr. Chin recalled. “I said, ‘If there’s already a bag around the heart… why don’t we just use a needle like the electrophysiologists do, gain access to the sac and put in a balloon catheter?’”
Electrophysiologists, the cardiologists who treat arrhythmias, use a needle stick to gain access to the heart's surface. Dr. Chin recognized that, if electrophysiologists were using a needle stick to this effect, he could use one to deliver a balloon catheter. Rather than making a large incision around the heart via sternotomy or thoracotomy, this technique could gain access without open-heart surgery.
Ongoing Trials
In this way, Dr. Chin conceptualized this new therapy, for which a patent was issued last year. Currently, he is working with PercAssist as the company undergoes clinical trials. As of writing, seven patients have been treated with a balloon catheter. Dr. Chin reports that the results have been promising. Distinct from CPR, the rib cage is not moved to press on the heart, avoiding rib fractures.
A Multifaceted Educational Background
Dr. Chin’s achievements in cardiac support technology have been bolstered by his education. Before completing a Medical Doctorate, he earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1975 and a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from Stanford University in 1976. Because of this background, he is uniquely prepared for developing mechanical devices.
Plans for the Future
Within the next five to 10 years, Dr. Chin remains dedicated to refining devices such as the balloon catheter at PercAssist. His objective is to ensure that each device functions effectively and fulfills its intended purpose. Additionally, Dr. Chin is in the process of establishing five medical startups, furthering his contributions to his field.
About PercAssist
Dr. Albert Chin is the co-founder and chief innovative officer of PercAssist, Inc. He has co-founded nine other medical companies throughout his career and sits on advisory boards at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University. He has been featured by the Associated Press, Fortune Magazine, Self, the LA Times and USA Today. For more information, visit www.percassist-corp.com.
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Media Contact
Dr. Albert Chin
alchinmd@gmail.com
