ORLive Presents: Endovascular Repair of Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm
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Minimally Invasive Alternative to Open Surgery Using GORE TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis
Surgeons from the Keck School of Medicine from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles will perform live on www.OR-Live.com an endovascular repair of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm with the GORE TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at 4 PM PDT.
Fred A. Weaver, MD, Professor and Chief of Vascular Surgery; Douglas B. Hood, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery; and Robbin Cohen, MD, Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, will perform the procedure at USC University Hospital in Los Angeles, California by positioning the GORE TAG® Thoracic Device -- the only approved endoprosthesis in the U.S. that provides a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery -- in the diseased area of the aorta through a small incision made in the patient's groin.
Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are diagnosed in approximately 15,000 people annually. An aneurysm can cause the aorta to grow to several times its normal size. Left untreated, the aneurysm can rupture, resulting in internal bleeding and in most cases, death.
Endovascular repair is a relatively new procedure for the treatment of TAAs. It is less invasive than open surgery and involves sealing off the aneurysm by placing a graft, the GORE TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis, inside of the diseased aorta and creating a new path for blood flow.
The GORE TAG® Device treats a TAA by means of minimally invasive endovascular repair. It is constructed of a tube-shaped stent-graft made of proven biocompatible ePTFE material and an outer self-expanding nitinol support structure to combine both device flexibility and material durability. The function of the GORE TAG® Endoprosthesis is to create a new aortic lining and seal off blood flow into the aneurysm. The device can be precisely positioned through a small incision made in the patient's groin.
In clinical trials comparing the GORE TAG® Device to open surgical repair, GORE TAG® Device patients experienced fewer complications, significantly less procedural blood loss, a shortened hospital stay and a two times faster return to normal activity.
