toh

Using the world’s smallest camera, physicians can see inside blood vessels during patient procedures for the first time 

OTTAWA – January 24, 2024 – On November 14, physicians at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) were the first in the world to use new stroke technology, the MicroAngioscope™, in a patient procedure. Equipped with the world’s smallest camera, the device goes inside veins and arteries, allowing physicians to see inside the blood vessels of the patient’s brain.  

In a medical breakthrough, Dr. Robert Fahed, Interventional Neuroradiologist at TOH, used the MicroAngioscope to treat a patient who suffered from repeated strokes. The device’s advanced and high-resolution imaging allowed Dr. Fahed to pinpoint the subtle condition that led to the strokes, allowing for a tailored treatment approach.

“For the first time in the world and history of interventional neurology, we used a new technology that allowed us to visualize the inside of the vessels of a patient”, said Dr. Robert Fahed, lead physician during the procedure. “This opens the door to a new way of practicing this specialty. This also means that now that we can finally see the inside of the vessels, everything needs to be re-explored and redefined.” 

“Think about doctors having the ability to miniaturize themselves and go through our arteries to understand health issues. Our newest invention, the Vena MicroAngioscope – just slightly thicker than a strand of hair – allows doctors to view diseases within the brain’s vasculature, in full color and in real-time,” said Michael Phillips, Co-Founder and CEO of Vena Medical. “Vena Medical marks a major leap forward and is committed to providing doctors with advanced tools for the prevention of strokes and various vascular diseases.” 

The Ottawa Hospital is always focused on enhancing patient outcomes through innovative solutions. The use of the MicroAngioscope marks a significant development in the field of neurovascular care and will pave the way for new, innovative treatments for patients across the region.  

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Media Contact: 

Rebecca Abelson
rabelson@toh.ca

The Ottawa Hospital:  

The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals where we are guided by our vision to provide the world-class and compassionate care we would all want for our loved ones.  

Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, is home to the Regional Trauma Centre and Cancer Centre, and to discoveries that are adopted globally.    

Backed by generous support from the community, we are focused on reshaping the future of health care to improve the health of our diverse population of patients from Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec, and Nunavut.    

For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, visit OttawaHospital.on.ca.   

Vena Medical Contact: 

Adam Karamath 
(877) 560-8362
adam@venamed.ca

About Vena Medical:

Vena Medical, an ISO 13485 and MDSAP certified company, is creating a suite of tools to change the way physicians perform minimally invasive neurosurgery, starting with the Vena Balloon Distal Access Catheter™, currently available in Canada. The MicroAngioscope™ is the smallest camera in the world, designed for physicians to view inside veins and arteries for stroke treatment. The need for this new product has been evident in stroke treatment through pre-clinical studies published in the American Journal of NeuroRadiology and the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery^2,3.  

For more information on Vena Medical visit www.venamed.ca.