DigiStent

AI-driven wireless stent solution designed to monitor Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in real-time.

Partners: University of Galway & OpenText

Funding: DTIF

Disclaimer: This study was funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and administered by Enterprise Ireland under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund Call 6.

Project Background:

The aorta is the largest vessel in the human body, carrying blood from the heart to the rest of the organs. An aneurysm occurs when the arterial wall weakens and begins to bulge. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) affects ~5% of people over 65 and is dubbed the “silent killer”. Without intervention, this bulge can continue to grow, leading to rupture that proves fatal in 80-90% of cases. Endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) is the prevalent treatment option for AAA, offering a less invasive alternative to traditional open surgery methods. Yet, stent-grafts used during EVAR procedures experience failure rates 25-30%, with 37% of these failures leading to patient mortality. Hence, patients require check-ups post-EVAR surgery, and distressingly, receive no other frequent information regarding the functionality of their stents.

DigiStent Objectives:

The core project objective of this project is to develop the world’s first wireless digital stent platform, DigiStent, to monitor structural and functional properties of endovascular abdominal aortic repair. The key objectives of the project are as follows:

  1. Develop a foothold in the MedTech sector
  2. Detect damage or deterioration in stents and hence reduce the risk of AAA
  3. Automatically measure blood pressure and thus generate data about patient health and recovery trends
  4. Use AI solutions to interpret blood pressure and stent performance data & hence improve patient health

Project Partners:

Funded by DTIF (Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund), Call 6, under the leadership of the Government of Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, the DigiStent project collaborates with:

OpenText: Utilising expertise in software development and AI-based data analytics.

ÉireComposites: Providing expertise in material science and manufacturing processes.

University of Galway: Collecting clinical insight and developing biosensors to measure key bio-signals to predict post-EVAR complications.

Expected Impacts:

DigiStent is positioned to have significant healthcare, economic and technical implications. 

This project aims to develop a digital wireless smart stent that allows for real-time dynamic digital analysis of a patient’s EVAR stent functionality. This advancement will enhance healthcare standards by providing clinicians with timely and insightful patient information, thereby helping to prevent AAA rupture and ultimate mortality, and alleviating the patient anxiety associated with the perception of the aneurysm as a “ticking time bomb”.

Ireland has positioned itself as a prominent global centre for MedTech, housing over 450 companies, of which four out of five are small to medium-sized enterprises. The ongoing investment in MedTech innovation equips Ireland with the necessary expertise to uphold this presence in the industry.

The technology aligns with the growing trend of wearable smart devices in health monitoring, paving the way for enhanced overall health outcomes and access to healthcare services. This approach will enable patient evaluations to be based on genuine and measurable clinical needs rather than fixed time intervals for checkups. DigiStent will join many other smart devices and inspire the next-generation healthcare revolution.

DigiStent aligns with National Strategic Outcomes (NSOs) in Project Ireland 2040, particularly NSO 5: A strong economy, supported by enterprise, innovation and skills and NSO 10: Access to quality childcare, education and health services. Globally, DigiStent aligns with the UN SDGs Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being and Goal 9: Industry Innovation & Infrastructure.

In summary, DigiStent technology will advance smart-stent research, by delivering the world’s first wireless digital stent platform which monitors EVAR stents properties. This initiative will bring about systematic change in the healthcare industry, improving patient well-being, reducing the AAA mortality rate and inspiring next-generation smart healthcare devices.