Aperture Biomedical

We are a team of physicians and engineers working to improve vascular access for hemodialysis. As part of the Stanford Biodesign fellowship in medtech innovation, we identified a huge unmet clinical need: the two million people on dialysis depend on a sustainable method to access their blood supply. The life expectancy of an incidence dialysis patient is over five years but the current methods of access last less than a year, leading to expensive repairs and complications related to access management. To solve this need, our team designed a novel therapy to extend the patency of access and reduce downstream complications. Our device delivers a one-time therapy during the normal access creation procedure at the location where failure is likeliest to occur. We designed a proof-of-concept prototype and shown early efficacy in an ex vivo porcine model. We are now seeking additional funding to develop a refined prototype and perform an in vivo animal feasibility study. We have interviewed over a dozen vascular surgeons, nephrologists, and interventional radiologists who have confirmed the severity of this need and endorsed our proposed approach. We have a stellar team of surgeons and biomedical engineers supported by a leading group of industrial and technical mentors. We are ready and able to solve this huge unmet need to the benefit of both patients and physicians.