Three years ago, Dr. Meghana Helder lost a patient hours after performing a risky heart surgery.
The procedure, to repair a torn aorta resulting from an aneurysm, had a nearly 20% death rate. There had to be a better way, Helder thought.
That night, the Mayo Clinic-trained heart surgeon dashed home from the hospital and headed to her basement, where she sketched out an idea for a device that could help more patients survive.