At the Surgical Clinic of the University Medical Center Ljubljana, a new, less invasive method of treatment, a personalized external aortic support, has been introduced for patients with an enlarged aorta. Patients do not need additional drug therapy after the procedure, but they have a better quality of life.
The procedure, called personalized external aortic root support (PEARS), was performed on three patients at the University Medical Center (UKC) Ljubljana in December, and three more will be operated on shortly, explained Ivan Kneževič, professional director of the surgical clinic. He expects that in the future, about 20 or 30 patients a year will be operated on with the new method.
The team that carried out the interventions called a press conference. As they emphasized, the procedure prevents further expansion or dilation of the aorta itself and thus practically eliminates the risk of a life-threatening tear of the aorta. Photo: University Medical Center Ljubljana
According to him, it is a revolutionary method of treatment, as it permanently prevents the expansion and dilation of the aorta and the associated valve defect and life-threatening tear of the aorta. The procedure prevents further spread of the aorta and is currently being performed in 15 countries around the world and about 50 hospitals, he explained.
Before surgery, patients first take pictures of the chest with contrast and send the images to a company in the UK, which custom-makes a mesh that surgeons insert and wrap around the aorta during the procedure, cardiovascular surgeon Matija Jelenc outlined the procedure.
The procedure is intended for patients with the most mild valve leakage
According to him, the procedure is intended for patients with a normally functioning aortic valve with the most mild valve leakage, who have a thoracic aortic diameter of about 50 millimeters. For patients with valve defects and a diameter of more than 55 millimeters, other procedures are suitable. Among the advantages of the procedure, he also emphasized that it takes place without extracorporeal blood circulation and with little blood loss, so there is usually no need for transfusions.
The patient retains his own aorta and aortic valve, so he does not need anticoagulant therapy, which prevents the formation of clots, and has a lower risk of infection. Patients can also maintain their lifestyle and continue to play sports, and women can become pregnant after the procedure, he explained.
From an anesthesiological point of view, a demanding procedure
According to Urška Žerjav from the Clinical Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Therapy of Surgical Professions, the new procedure is also demanding from an anesthesiological point of view. Before the procedure, it is therefore very important to know all the steps well and anticipate the course, so they perform “dry training” beforehand.
According to Aleksander Kresal, who was one of the three operated patients, he had to abandon his sports lifestyle before the procedure due to an enlarged aorta. He recovered quickly after the procedure and two months after the operation he is again going to the mountains and playing sports.
A new method of treating an enlarged aorta
Disclaimer: This article has been translated into English for informational purposes from its original version, which can be found here: https://www.rtvslo.si/zdravje/novi-inovativni-poseg-velik-korak-naprej-za-bolnike-z-razsirjeno-aorto/773244. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the translation, nuances or meanings may differ from the original Slovenian text.
