An Israeli-developed device first implemented at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) is helping make coronary artery bypass surgery safer by a unique innovation that reduces the risk of stroke.
Coronary artery bypass surgery is among the most commonly performed cardiac procedures worldwide. While success rates are high and most patients return home with improved heart function, the procedure still carries the risk of serious—sometimes fatal or life-altering—complications.
During bypass surgery, surgeons connect vascular grafts to the aorta by temporarily clamping a segment of the vessel with surgical clamps, creating a stable working environment for graft attachment.
“Many cardiac patients have calcified aortic walls caused by atherosclerosis,” explains Professor Gil Bolotin, Director of the Department of Cardiac Surgery at the Eyal Ofer Heart Hospital at Rambam. “When surgical clamps press against these calcified areas, calcium deposits may fracture and travel through the bloodstream to the brain, where they can block blood vessels and cause a stroke. In traditional bypass surgery, mechanical clamping of the artery represents the weak link in the procedure.”
Approximately 2% of patients experience a stroke during bypass surgery, making reduction of this risk a long-standing goal of the global cardiac surgery community.
An Israeli medical technology company, Vascular Graft Solutions (VGS) has developed an innovative solution designed to improve bypass surgery outcomes. Their novel device, VIOLA™, offers an entirely different approach.
Rather than externally clamping the aorta, surgeons insert VIOLA directly into the vessel, enabling bypass surgery without obstructing blood flow. Through a small opening in the aortic wall, the device expands internally to create a protected and controlled environment for graft attachment.
The innovation lies in the fact that blood continues flowing through the aorta throughout the procedure. VIOLA occupies minimal space within the vessel while maintaining uninterrupted circulation. As a result, the aortic walls are not compressed, significantly reducing the risk of calcium deposits fracturing and emboli forming.
Rambam is the first medical center worldwide to perform the groundbreaking procedure, and its Department of Cardiac Surgery has already completed a series of successful VIOLA procedures.
“Our ability to neutralize the danger caused by fracturing calcium deposits represents a dramatic improvement in patient safety,” says Professor Bolotin. “The technology significantly reduces neurological complications that have long posed a persistent threat during bypass surgery. Rambam now has a skilled surgical team capable of performing the procedure, and we are proud to stand at the forefront of adopting this technique. We believe it has the potential to transform bypass surgery worldwide.”
Already FDA and CE approved, VIOLA will be introduced in hospitals across the United States and Europe in the near future. Its implementation at Rambam underscores the hospital’s commitment to offering advanced medical technologies and innovative surgical techniques that improve patient outcomes.
Based on an original Hebrew article that first appeared in DoctorsOnly.
