Giovanni Torsello (Münster, Germany) and Mauro Gargiulo (Bologna, Italy) discuss the “very high” morbidity and mortality caused by open surgery when treating complex aortic aneurysms. This is why, they say, the use of fenestrated and branched grafts is a valuable alternative treatment.
Torsello talks about the complications often found with many bridging stents due to the fact they have a multitude of “stress components”. The Gore Viabahn VBX balloon expandable endoprosthesis, according to Torsello is a “game changer” when used as a bridging stent in the treatment of complex aortic aneurysms. It is the “best choice for this type of repair” because it allows stents to be “customised to the needs of the patient”, he says.
Gargiulo, meanwhile, provides the latest update from the EXPAND registry which will release “important information” at the end of the year on the use of VBX in different fields of vascular disease. He believes the flexibility of the VBX stent graft can help improve patency results and will be “very important” not only for vascular surgeons but for other specialities like interventional cardiologists to treat complications in both coronary artery disease and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedures.
This video is sponsored by W L Gore.