Premier Health Clinical Research Team Brings New Laser Atherectomy Device to Miami Valley Hospital

Premier Pulse     August 2025 Aug 22, 2025

Pictured - First row (left to Right): Cath Lab: Jordan Puskar, RN; Abby Whitmire, RN; Tesa App, radiation technician; Sagger Mawri, MD; Joe Barr, BS, CRA Philips. Second row: Ryan Sotak, principal engineer, Philips. Third row: Heather Bell, RN, CRC; Chris Weller, RN, CCRC; Last Row: Jennifer Moore, Philips clinical study manager.

Sagger Mawri, MD, along with cath lab staff, Clinical Trials Research Alliance (CTRA), Premier Health Clinical Research nurses and members of Philips Image Guided Therapy Corporation attended the first subject case at Miami Valley Hospital using the Thor laser atherectomy system on June 23.

Miami Valley Hospital was chosen as a site to participate in the Thor laser atherectomy system trial conducted on behalf of Philips Image Guided Therapy Corporation. The purpose of the trial is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Thor laser atherectomy system in the treatment of de novo calcified lesions in native infra-inguinal arteries in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). It is being conducted across 30 sites in the United States under an approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Thor system merges laser atherectomy and intravascular lithotripsy and is designed for the potential for health care providers to treat complex calcified lesions with a single device; the system is designed for use in two modes:

  1. Forward Facing Atherectomy Mode: Is indicated for treatment of de novo or restenotic infra-inguinal lesions and for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery in stent restenosis (ISR) in bare nitinol stents, with adjunctive PTA.
  2. Calcium Modification Mode: The Thor System is indicated for the treatment of calcified lesions in native superficial femoral and popliteal arteries with adjunctive percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

The Thor laser system is currently investigational and not commercially available.

Investigators at MVH include Dr. Mawri as principal investigator and Dr. James Pan as sub-investigator. The CTRA team operates within a long-standing affiliation with Premier Health and Wright State University. The team supports industry-sponsored clinical trials in various therapeutic areas, helping to expand access to new and innovative treatments for patients in the Southwest Ohio region.

For more information, please contact:

Congratulations to all for such excellent collaboration to achieve a successful outcome!

Back to the August 2025 issue of Premier Pulse