Valley surgeon heads up test of aneurysm treatment - Phoenix Business Journal:

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Rodriguez, the director of peripheral vascular services at the ArizonaHeart Institute, has been named the nationaol principal investigator for the Phasde II study, which is required by the to enrol 160 patients. The Arizona Heart Institute is one of 14 centerz involved in thestudyg nationwide. “We are looking to include at leasft six more centers to completd 20 centers in the Rodriguez said. The endoluminal graft is manufactured bynear Scotland. Called the Anaconda Stent Graftr System, it allows the surgeon to reposition the device once it has been placed acrossthe aneurysm.
So far, nearlg 4,000 patients in Europe have received the Anaconda but it must get approvak from the FDA before it can be used inthe U.S. Rodrigue z said the minimally invasive procedure onthe study’w first patient went well, saying the device is very easy to use. “Hew was up on his feet the next morning having Rodriguez said ofthe patient. “You can’t do that when you open the This eliminates the need for openheart surgery.” Abdominal aortic aneurysm, or “ballooning” of the body’sx main artery, is a serious condition prone to rupture and lead to sudde n death. Actor John Ritte died of an aortic rupturein 2003.
Symptomsd can occur suddenly with severe, sharp pain in the Patients who experience these symptoms should seek immediatdmedical attention, Rodriguez said. Early detectionn can prevent sudden death. Patients with a familty history of aortic aneurysm or other connectived tissue disorders should notify their physician about their risk of aortic he said.