Galway Bay fm newsroom - Four patients at UHG with the most severe form of heart disease have been successfully treated with a new generation of stents which improve blood flow to the heart.
They're part of a clinical trial running at 50 locations in eight countries, testing the new stent which could increase survival rates and improve quality of life.
For the trial, which has been announced by NUI Galway, the university is teaming up with a leading medical device company, Sahajanand Medical Technologies.
Their aim is to assess how the new generation of stents affect heart patients with the most severe form of coronary disease.
A stent is a metal or plastic tube that is inserted into arteries to restore blood flow.
Researchers focus is on "three-vessel coronary artery disease" - which is not only the most severe form of the disease, but one that is increasingly an issue for younger people.
The patients who will benefit most will be those who suffer damage to their heart due to diabetes or high blood pressure, as well as those who smoke or have a family history of heart disease.
Eligible patients from the west who have not previously undergone bypass surgery will be offered a chance to participate in the trial at UHG.
