BTI has a subsidiary, Elana bv, which has developed a device to treat patients who have no alternative treatment option available with a non-occlusive bypass technique. This ELANA (Excimer Laser Assisted Non Occlusive Anastomosis) Surgical Kit is based on the invention of Prof. C. Tulleken and his research team of the department of neurosurgery in UMC Utrecht and was the result of their desire to help these patients who could previously not be treated. The past years over 450 lives have been saved with this Elana technique in Europe, the US and Canada and over 100 neurosurgeons have been trained to use this technique. The Elana Surgical Kit is the only  technique available to make a bypass in the brain without temporary occlusion of the blood-flow. This significantly diminishes the risk of stroke. For more information, see www.elana.com. The Elana device is still being manufactured and distributed through BTI and is a classic example of ‘bench to bedside’ research.