On August 30, Cooper University Hospital – home to the region’s only dedicated aortic program – became the first in the state to perform a complex abdominal aortic aneurysm repair using a fenestrated endograft. Cooper is among the first hospitals in the nation – and the only one in South Jersey – to offer this leading- edge treatment.
“The procedure went fantastic – even better than textbook,” said Joseph V. Lombardi, MD, Head of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and Director of the Cooper Aortic Center, just hours after he completed the groundbreaking procedure. “Three months ago, this patient would have had to undergo an open procedure requiring at least a seven- to-ten day hospital stay with a large incision in his belly and a three-month recovery. With this approach, the patient gets to go home the next day with two small incisions in his groin.” Recently FDA-approved, the Zenith Fenestrated A A A Endovascular Graft by Cook Medical offers a minimally invasive treatment option for patients whose aneurysm anatomy is incompatible with existing devices. This will enable treatment of 15 to 20 percent more A A A patients who previously were
ineligible for traditional endovascular repair.
The fenestrated endograft is the world’s first to incorporate tailored openings, or fenestrations, in the endograft’s top section. This enables the self-expanding, fabric-covered stent- graft to treat aortic and aortoiliac aneurysms extending close to the renal and superior mesenteric arteries, which are then stented to reduce the risk of restricting or blocking blood f low to the kidneys and bowel. Each fenestrated device is custom-made from a spiral CT-generated 3-D computer model of the patient’s anatomy. The fenestrations in the stent-graft are precisely positioned where the patient’s renal or bowel arteries branch off. “We are very enthusiastic about bringing this new technology
to South Jersey. Now all patients with A A A’s involving renal arteries have an endovascular option,” Dr. Lombardi adds.
For more information or to schedule a consultation please call 856.342.2151.