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Cook Medical Congratulates the University of Florida for Reaching a Major Milestone in the Treatment of Aortic Aneurysms

Posted on: Monday, 19 May 2008, 09:01 CDT

Cook Medical today congratulates the University of Florida College of Medicine for achieving a significant milestone and major step forward in the growing medical acceptance of endovascular repair as the treatment of choice for thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.

UF surgeons, worldwide leaders in endovascular aortic repair, have successfully implanted the 1,000th endograft, designed to treat patients suffering from thoracic and abdominal aortic pathologies. The procedure was performed at the Shands at UF academic medical center in Gainesville, Fla., and led by vascular surgeon and associate professor of surgery W. Anthony Lee, M.D., along with cardiothoracic surgeons Tomas D. Martin, M.D., an associate professor of surgery, and Philip J. Hess, Jr., M.D., an assistant professor of surgery.

"This is an important clinical milestone not only for the surgical team and the University of Florida but for the worldwide treatment of thoracic and abdominal aortic diseases," said Phil Nowell, global director of Cook Medical's Aortic Intervention strategic business unit.

"This landmark case truly reflects the University of Florida's combined experience and expertise in the minimally invasive endovascular treatment of both abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms," said Lee. "Only a handful of institutions have performed high volumes of these procedures, but we anticipate that the university's significant milestone will encourage other vascular surgeons and medical centers to follow suit and adopt endovascular therapy as the standard of care for aneurysm patients of all types."

An aortic aneurysm occurs when a section of the aortic wall, the body's main blood vessel, weakens and creates a dangerous bulge that could rupture, an often-fatal occurrence.

Endovascular aneurysm repair, or EVAR, was first introduced to the United States in 1999. A less-invasive alternative to open surgery, EVAR is performed by making two small incisions in the groin and threading two catheters through the patient's arteries. Once in place inside the weakened section of the aorta, the catheters release a tubular device comprised of large z-shaped self-expanding metal stents sewn to surgical graft material that expands to channel blood through the aorta and reduce the pressure on the aneurysmal sac, lessening the risk of rupture.

The recovery time for EVAR is considerably shorter than that of open surgery, decreasing hospital stays down to two to three days. EVAR patients normally return to normal activities within weeks, compared to months with open surgery.

Cook Medical today stands as the global leader in the endovascular aortic aneurysm repair market. Cook's Zenith AAA Endovascular Graft is approved for sale in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, the United States, and other markets.

W. Anthony Lee, M.D.

W. Anthony Lee, M.D., is a vascular surgeon and associate professor of surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine, in Gainesville, Fla. Lee is a renowned leader in minimally invasive aortic aneurysm repair and specializes in endovascular surgery.

About Cook Medical

Cook Medical was one of the first companies to introduce interventional devices in the United States. Today, the company participates in all global markets, integrating device design, biopharma, gene and cell therapy and biotech to enhance patient safety and improve clinical outcomes. Cook won the prestigious Medical Device Manufacturer of the Year from Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry magazine. For more information, visit www.cookmedical.com.

Source: Business Wire

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