Research & Clinical Trials
When you participate in clinical research, you become part of the Palm Beach Health Network team. Clinical trials help bridge research and patient care by evaluating therapies, drugs, diagnostic tools and patient care practices.
At Palm Beach Health Network, the needs of the patient come first. Part of this commitment involves conducting medical research with the goal of helping patients live longer, healthier lives.
Through clinical trials, which involve people who volunteer to participate in them, researchers can better understand how to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases or conditions.
Types of clinical trials
- Observational study. A type of study in which people are observed or certain outcomes are measured. No attempt is made by the researcher to affect the outcome — for example, no treatment is given by the researcher.
- Clinical trial (interventional study). During clinical trials, researchers learn if a new test or treatment works and is safe. Treatments studied in clinical trials might be new drugs or new combinations of drugs, new surgical procedures or devices, or new ways to use existing treatments.
- Medical records research. Medical records research involves the use of information collected from medical records. By studying the medical records of large groups of people over long periods of time, researchers can see how diseases progress and which treatments and surgeries work best.
Clinical trials differ from medical care
When you visit your doctor, he or she will diagnose and treat your current illness or condition. During clinical trials, researchers are trying to gather new information that will benefit and improve medical care for people in the future.
List of Clinical Trials
With the goal of improving patient outcomes and quality of life, Palm Beach Health Network performs trauma clinical trials. The studies evaluate therapies, drugs, diagnostic tools and practices to enhance patient care. The following trials are currently being conducted or have recently been completed at Palm Beach Health Network.
Trauma Research
Study Name
Assessing the efficacy of IV ibuprofen for the treatment of pain in orthopedic trauma patients
Principal Investigator
Russell Weisz, MD
Sponsor
Palm Beach Health Network
Study Name
A comprehensive retrospective assessment of factors including outcomes following trauma
Principal Investigator
Marcos Bukur, MD
Sponsor
Investigator initiated
With the goal of improving patient outcomes and quality of life, Palm Beach Health Network performs rehabilitation clinical trials. The studies evaluate therapies, drugs, diagnostic tools and practices to enhance patient care.
The following trials are currently being conducted or have recently been completed at Palm Beach Health Network.
Study Name
The Reliability and Validity of the Expanded Timed Up and Go (ETUG) to Measure Mobility in People with Stroke.
Principal Investigator
Donna Rose Tadena, PT. Co-Investigator: Jennifer Canbek, PT, PhD, NCS
*Not yet open.
Dr. Brijeshwar Maini medical director of transcatheter therapies for Tenet Healthcare’s Florida region leads the cardiovascular trials at Palm Beach Health Network (DMC). Dr. Maini works closely beside other cardiologists at DMC and throughout Palm Beach County to offer the most current and minimally invasive treatments to treat a majority of cardiac conditions including mitral regurgitation (MR), heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation (a-fib), and tricuspid regurgitation (TR).
Mitral regurgitation (MR) - a debilitating, progressive and life-threatening condition in which the valve between the two left-sided chambers (left ventricle and left atrium) does not close properly, causing a backward flow of blood into the heart. The condition can increase the risk of irregular heartbeats, stroke, and heart failure, which can lead to death.
Heart failure (HF) - is the inability of the heart to pump blood sufficiently. HF has two classifications:
HF with reduced left ventricular function (HF-rEF) – occurs when the lower chamber of the heart (left ventricle) becomes larger and is unable to squeeze or contract hard enough to pump the correct amount of oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.
HF with preserved left ventricular function (HF-pEF) is a condition where the left ventricle contracts or squeezes normally however, the ventricle is thicker and stiffer than normal, which does not allow it to relax and properly fill with blood. As a result, less blood is pumped to the rest of the body.
Symptoms of either HF-rEF or HF-pEF include but are not limited to shortness of breath (SOB), fatigue, swelling of abdomen, legs and ankles, weight gain, irregular heartbeats, dizziness, and confusion.
Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) - an irregular and often rapid heart rate. Occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (atria) are beating out of sync with the lower chambers (ventricles). This desynchronization can cause blood to collect within the left atrial appendage (LAA) of the heart, which can potentially form a blood clot. Prevention of clot formation is key. Long-term blood thinners are the standard treatment. Symptoms include but are not limited to SOB, weakness, confusion, chest pain and/or pressure.
Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) - a debilitating, progressive and life-threatening condition in which the valve between the two right-sided chambers (right ventricle and right atrium) does not close properly. Symptoms may go unnoticed and may not present until the regurgitation is severe. Symptoms include swelling of the abdomen, legs and the veins in your neck, abnormal heart rhythms, SOB, and fatigue.
The Research Department at Palm Beach Health Network is in collaboration with several key medical companies in an effort to provide the community with leading breakthrough technology and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes in symptomatic patients.
Studies Open to Enrollment
TRILUMINATE Pivotal
Clinical Trial to Evaluate Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients Treated with the Tricuspid Valve Repair System Pivotal
Principal Investigator
Brijeshwar Maini, MD
Sponsor
Abbott
SUMMIT
Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Using the Tendyne Mitral Valve System for the Treatment of Symptomatic Mitral Regurgitation
Principal Investigator
Brijeshwar Maini, MD
Sponsor
Abbott
RELIEVE‐HF TRIAL
Reducing Lung congestion symptoms using the v-wave shunt in advanced heart failure
Principal Investigator
Brijeshwar Maini MD
Sponsor
V-Wave, Ltd
CHAMPION-AF
WATCHMAN FLX versus NOAC for Embolic Protection in the Management of Patients with Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation
Principal Investigator
Brijeshwar Maini, MD
Sponsor
Boston Scientific Corporation
Contact Us
Contact the Research Department at 561-495-3145 or 561-495-3238 with Questions regarding research opportunities at Palm Beach Health Network