Investigator-Sponsored Research Program

Research Areas

Each Boston Scientific division reviews research requests for a variety of topics pertaining to Boston Scientific products and associated disease states.

We are currently looking at research in the following areas:

Cardiovascular Topics of Interest

• New/emerging Technologies
• New/extended applications of DES
• Role of DES in extended patient groups
• Health Economics and/or Quality of Life
• Comparative-Effectiveness
• Geographic variation in device use
• Valvular disease
   

Rhythm & Electrophysiology Topics of Interest

• Cardiac mapping
• Cardiac ablation
• Subcutaneous ICD
• Heart failure
• Left atrial appendage closure
   

Endoscopy/Pulmonary Topics of Interest

• Gastro
• Biliary
• Snares
• polypectomy
• Severe asthma and bronchial thermoplasty (BT)
  • BT – patient selection and markers of response and/or safety.
  • Severe asthma – natural history.
• Bronchial thermoplasty in practice
  • Case studies demonstrating safety and efficacy of BT.
  • Procedure optimization.
  • Clinical experience in patients with characteristics such as:
    • Low FEV1
    • Elderly
    • Occupational asthma
    • Allergic and non-allergic asthma
    • Asthma with concomitant use of immunomodulatory agents
    • Asthma with a COPD component.
  • Patient satisfaction data.
  • Clinical outcome data such as impact on medication usage.
• Bronchial thermoplasty mechanism of action
  • Evaluate the impact of BT on airway remodeling, inflammation, and hyperresponsiveness.
  • Assess impact on asthma pathophysiology.
  • Identification of biomarkers for patient responders
  • Further definition of patient responders. 
     

Urology and Pelvic Health Topics of Interest

• Upper Tract Stone Disease
  • Optimal laser settings for dusting vs. fragmentation and associated stone free rates
  • Endoscope – flexible ureteroscope - economics – single use versus reusable (repair costs, deterioration of performance, safety, etc.)
  • Stent encrustation (causes, effects on patients, economic impact, patient and economic costs of forgotten indwelling stents)
  • Ureteral stent pain 
• BPH
  • Use of GreenLight XPS™ PVP Laser System in men with prostate volume > 80 grams
  • Use of GreenLight XPS PVP Laser System in men that are high risk surgical candidates i.e. anticoagulated
  • Comparison of GreenLight XPS PVP Laser System with other surgical modalities for BPH (Plasma Button, HoLep, Thulium) 
  • Economic data regarding the health system costs of Green Light XPS Laser System compared to other treatments for BPH
• Female Stress Urinary Incontinence
  • The case for minislings as standard of care therapy for stress urinary incontinence: Solyx™ SIS System versus TVT™ Retropubic System
  • White paper on requirements for moving minislings into the office: clinical and re-imbursement perspectives 
• Pelvic Floor Reconstruction
  • Randomized study on distal support of the anterior vaginal compartment utilizing the Uphold ™LITE Vaginal Support System with and without concomitant anterior wall plication
  • Safety and efficacy outcomes following treatment of apical and anterior vaginal compartment with the Uphold LITE transvaginal mesh system and with abdominal sacrocolpopexy
  • Predictors of repair durability in treatment of anterior vaginal compartments with the Xenform™ extra cellular matrix 
• Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
  • Comparisons of different treatment modalities on patient outcomes and post-procedural complications (i.e. pain)
  • Assess impact of vasopressin and mean arterial pressure on fluid management 
• Removal of Uterine Tissue (Fibroids, Polyps)
  • Data on efficacy and safety
  • Comparative studies with currently available technologies
  • Data on the cost effectiveness of Symphion™ Tissue Removal System for polyps and fibroids 
• Male Stress Urinary Incontinence
  • Predictors of urethral atrophy after AUS placement
  • Long-term outcomes for AUS placement after pelvic XRT
  • Validation of a questionnaire to assess the severity of male SUI to show correlation to treatment options
• Male Erectile Dysfunction
  • Patient satisfaction in men receiving an IPP for ED (flaccid state, rigidity, penile girth)
  • Cost effectiveness of IPP as first line therapy in men with ED and a poor prognosis for the success of conservative therapies
     

Neuromodulation Topics of Interest

• Spinal Cord Stimulation
  • Treatment of chronic, intractable pain of the back and legs using the Spectra WaveWriter™ SCS System
    • Of particular interest:
      • Efficacy of combination therapy
      • Programming optimization
      • Contour™ field shaping algorithm vs other field shapes
      • Anatomical vs paresthesia-based neural targeting
• Deep Brain Stimulation
  • Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders using Vercise™ Deep Brain Stimulation System
    • Of particular interest:
      • Freezing of gait
      • Replacement of other DBS systems with Vercise DBS System
      • Use of multiple frequencies on one lead
      • Use of current fractionalization to maximize overlap with desired structures and minimize stimulation of non-target tissue
      • Novel targets for Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia, Tremor (may require IDE)