We will continue forward with the development of retroperfusion technology for cerebral applications. We have designed and previously tested a system for cardiac retroperfusion. The initial device under Phase I will be modified tar the cerebral application. In addition, primate studies started at a major university medical center for the cerebral retroperfusion device will continue during Phase I to confirm the device's safety and efficacy for cerebral retroperfusion. The primate studies will be conducted to show that this novel technique actually reduces the morbidity of stroke victims in addition to reversing the EEG abnormalities resulting from ischemic stroke. The primate studies will address this by waking the subjects following the treatment and measure morbidity by motor function, paralysis and by pathologic analysis of the treated and untreated ischemic cerebral tissues six days post-treatment. Phase II will build upon the feasibility study by completing the prototype device and beginning clinical trials.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research: Approximately 500,000 Americans suffer from stroke each year; 80% of these strokes are from ischemic stroke. 20% to 30% of these victims survive but do so with severe or permanent damage. 50% of the victims do not survive. In addition, stroke affects 118,000 in Japan and 383 000 in Europe.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
