Community Hospital first in Indiana to offer newly FDA-approved treatment for recurring coronary stent blockages

Powers Health staff members are shown with Interventional Cardiologists Dean Ferrera, DO, and Jonathan Meyer, MD.

Community Hospital has become the first in Indiana to use a new treatment option for patients experiencing recurring blockages inside a previously placed heart stent.

The treatment – SELUTION SLR Drug-Eluting Balloon (DEB) – received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Sept. 21 and was successfully implemented at Community Hospital two days later. The procedure was performed by Interventional Cardiologists Dean Ferrera, DO, and Jonathan Meyer, MD.

Coronary stents are small mesh tubes placed in arteries to help restore blood flow to the heart. In some patients, the artery can narrow over time because of scar tissue growth or additional plaque buildup inside the stent. This condition – in-stent restenosis – can reduce blood flow and increase the risk of heart-related complications.

Traditionally, treating these recurring blockages often required placing another stent. The SELUTION SLR Drug-Eluting Balloon instead delivers medication directly to the artery wall to help prevent future narrowing without leaving another permanent implant behind.

“This new technology gives us an important option for patients whose arteries have narrowed again after a previous stent procedure,” said Samer Abbas, MD, a cardiologist and co-medical director of Cardiovascular Services for Powers Health and medical director of the Structural Heart and Valve Program of Powers Health. “For some patients, being able to treat the blockage without placing another stent may help preserve future treatment options while delivering essential care.”

Community offers the treatment to qualifying patients as part of its ongoing commitment to providing advanced cardiovascular care close to home.

Patients interested in learning more should consult with their cardiologist to determine whether they may be a candidate.

To learn more about heart care at the hospitals of Powers Health, visit PowersHealth.org/heart.