Less Invasive Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Less Invasive Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair
The repair of a thoracic aortic aneurysm used to require a large incision and weeks of recovery time, but vascular surgeons at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital are using minimally invasive techniques to repair this potentially dangerous condition.
“For the first time, treatment for thoracic aortic aneurysms may be done using a procedure that minimizes the hospital stay and avoids the need for open surgery,” says Alan Graham, MD, chief of vascular surgery and director of the Vascular Center of New Jersey at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Surgeons use the Food and Drug Administration–approved GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis, which is delivered in a procedure in which surgeons gain access to the aneurysm through tiny incisions. The GORE TAG device can be precisely positioned in the diseased area through a small incision made in the groin. “The device is similar to a stent but with a biomaterial that seals off the aneurysm to prevent rupture,” adds Dr. Graham, who is also professor of surgery at UMDNJ–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
In clinical trials comparing the GORE TAG device to open surgical repair, GORE TAG patients experienced fewer complications, less blood loss during the procedure, a shortened hospital stay, and a faster return to normal activity.
“Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital continues to research and bring the best endovascular therapies to our patients,” says Lucy Sun Brevetti, MD, a vascular surgeon at the hospital and assistant professor of surgery at the medical school. “Our goal is to minimize the need for open surgery, while producing the best results for long-term recovery.”
Thoracic aortic aneurysms are diagnosed in about 15,000 people annually. They are caused by hardening of the arteries—atherosclerosis—high blood pressure, congenital disorders such as Marfan’s syndrome, and trauma. Atherosclerosis is by far the most common cause.
The Vascular Center of New Jersey has offices in New Brunswick at
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