LOUISVILLE, Ky. –UofL Health – Jewish Hospital is pleased to announce the completion of another Kentucky first, implanting the GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis on Aug. 16, 2022. The procedure was the state’s first and the second surgery in the U.S., taking place just one day after the full product release in the U.S.

“The patient is recovering well and recovering faster than previous methods allowed,” said Amit Dwivedi, M.D., UofL Physicians – Vascular Surgery. “Being able to provide new advanced procedures to our patients is one of the academic medicine advantages. We excel in today’s standards of care, but we also work to set the standards of tomorrow.”

The GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis is designed to repair the damage caused by an aneurysm in the largest artery (descending thoracic aorta), located in the chest. The device includes three implantable fabric tubes supported by a nitinol framework (stent grafts). Each stent graft has a catheter-based delivery system. By implanting the device in the artery, it allows the blood to keep flowing past the aorta’s damaged or diseased parts.

Previous procedures often required a large incision in the neck which increases the risk of nerve damage and a potential stroke. It also requires a lengthy hospital stay for recovery.

“Making the most advanced heart and vascular care available to patients is a team effort,” said Eric Wayne, M.D., UofL Physicians – Vascular Surgery. “My patient needed an intervention and I knew Dr. Dwivedi had recently been trained on a new option. We worked together, as a UofL Health team, to provide her with the best possible treatment.”

Wanda Acklin, 63, first sought Dr. Wayne’s recommendation after being admitted to Jewish Hospital with chest and abdominal pain. A CT scan revealed an aortic aneurysm in the chest that was very close to the main artery going to the left arm. The GORE TAG Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis provided a way to treat the aneurysm and maintain blood flow to the left arm at the same time.

The GORE TAGE Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis can repair several types of damage (lesions), including:

  • Aneurysm, a diseased, weakened and bulging section of the aortic wall
  • Transection, a rupture or tear of the aortic wall, typically from blunt force trauma
  • Dissection, when the inside lining of the aorta tears away from the outer wall.

UofL Health – Jewish Hospital has more than 40 medical heart firsts. Diagnostic vascular screenings are available at multiple facilities. For more information on UofL Physicians – Vascular Care visit, UofLHealth.org/Services/Vascular-Surgery/ or call 502-587-4327.

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UofL Health is a fully integrated regional academic health system with eight hospitals, four medical centers, Brown Cancer Center, Eye Institute, nearly 200 physician practice locations, and more than 1,000 providers in Louisville and the surrounding counties, including southern Indiana. Additional access to UofL Health is provided through a partnership with Carroll County Memorial Hospital. With more than 13,000 team members – physicians, surgeons, nurses, pharmacists and other highly-skilled health care professionals, UofL Health is focused on one mission: to transform the health of communities we serve through compassionate, innovative, patient-centered care.

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