Patients with implantable cardiac defibrillators live with a brutal tradeoff: the device that saves their life can also shock them without warning — so hard they describe it as getting kicked by a horse. Many develop PTSD, anxiety, or depression. And until now, there's been no alternative. 

Allison Post is CEO of Rhythio Medical and a cardiovascular biomaterials engineer who spent years running the innovation program at the Texas Heart Institute. Her team has developed a conductive hydrogel that's injected into the veins of the heart, where it solidifies into a network that can reset cardiac rhythm at a fraction of a percent of the energy of a traditional shock. The FDA granted breakthrough designation on preclinical data alone. 

In this episode, Allison walks us through the science behind the gel, what it was like to prove out an idea that sounded impossible, and the moment in the OR that changed everything. We talk about the patient experience that drives this work, the Houston ecosystem that made it possible, and why she left a job she loved to lead this company herself. 

If you care about the future of cardiac care, this one's for you. 
Subscribe to First in Human: - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/first-in-human/id1842644737 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3C1xG5SxPei8m2lI63WSkd 
Visit Rhythio online: https://www.rhythiomedicaltech.com/

Connect with Allison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-d-post-10103/