A New Era In Management Of Traumatic Disruptions Of The Thoracic Aorta

Main Category: Vascular
Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 24 Nov 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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Traumatic disruptions of the thoracic aorta are often life-threatening, and traditional open repair carries the risks of significant morbidity and mortality. These patients routinely have multiple injuries that make a classic thoracotomy a serious and difficult operation.

As presented by Edward B. Diethrich, M.D., Medical Director and Chief of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery at the Arizona Heart Institute & Hospital in Phoenix, following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of multiple endografts, a new era in the management of these lesions has begun in the United States.

Deployment of an endograft across the transection may be done under local anesthesia and greatly reduces the risk of the operation, while also permitting clinicians time to direct attention toward resolving other life-threatening conditions.

A major problem, however, is that there is currently no commercial devices approved for this application.

Numerous trials are now enrolling patients to answer questions about extending the indications for these devices to include acute transection due to deceleration injury.

Per Dr. Diethrich: "Because the risks associated with an open thoracotomy are considerable, in general, we regard the minimally invasive endovascular approach the 'goldstandard' treatment for acute transection at our institution."

VEITH SYMPOSIUM - New York, November 19th to 23rd

Now in its fourth decade, VEITH SYMPOSIUM provides vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, interventional cardiologists and other vascular specialists with a unique and exciting format to learn the most current information about what is new and important in the treatment of vascular disease. The 5-day event features rapid-fire presentations from world renowned vascular specialists with emphasis on the latest advances, changing concepts in diagnosis and management, pressing controversies and new techniques.

VEITHsymposium is sponsored by Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.

www.veithsymposium.org

Source
Pauline T. Mayer
www.ptmhcm.com

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