NORTHWEST INDIANA | Powers Health achieved another milestone in cardiovascular care with a new minimally invasive approach to treat complex aortic aneurysms.
Samer Abbas, MD, a cardiologist and co-medical director of Cardiovascular Services for Powers Health and medical director of the Structural Heart and Valve Clinic of Powers Health, led a team Thursday, June 11, at Community Hospital in Munster in using the GORE EXCLUDER Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis (TAMBE).
Complex abdominal aortic aneurysms occur when the wall of the aorta – the body’s largest artery – weakens and bulges along the segment from the chest to the abdomen. When left untreated, the aneurysm may rupture and may be fatal.
“This endovascular thoracoabdominal multibranched repair approach is less invasive than traditional surgery, leading to less risk of complications and a shorter recovery time for patients,” Abbas said.
In open surgery, specialists enter through the patient’s chest and abdomen. With TAMBE, they access the aorta via the groin and use catheters to place a specially designed stent that helps blood flow to the liver, kidneys and stomach.
Once delivered to the aorta at the site of the aneurysm, the TAMBE expands to bridge the weakened section of aorta. It makes a barrier between the aorta and the blood flow, relieving pressure on the walls of the aorta and preventing the aneurysm from getting bigger.
“A thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm can be difficult to treat because of its location in the body; major organs and blood vessels branch off from the aorta in that area,” said Dale O’Donnell, vice president of Cardiology Services for Powers Health. “Offering TAMBE as an option for patients with this type of complex aneurysm is another example of Powers Health investing in advanced cardiac care for residents in Northwest Indiana.”
