Belgian student wins an award thanks to her alternative to bypass surgery

Thanks to this invention, the impact of bypass surgery is less invasive. This operation is necessary when the arteries that supply the heart with blood become narrowed. This can cause angina or a heart attack.

This is where the traditional bypass surgery comes in. It is necessary to look for a section of blood vessel in the leg, for example. The patient's chest is then opened so that this part of the vessel creates a connection between the coronary artery and the heart, thus bypassing the occlusion. This procedure, often carried out on older patients, is quite long and involves a high level of risk. They also face a three-month rehabilitation period.

LADflow offers an alternative. This small tube, designed by the student from Antwerp, links two arteries in the chest and is inserted with a catheter. The arteries are then connected with small hooks. The bypass is complete and blood can circulate along a new route. Just one week of recovery is required and the risks involved in the operation are greatly reduced.

Thanks to this national prize, Palmers has won a reward of €2.250 and is now competing against participants from about twenty other countries in order to win the international prize.