SHRINKING ANEURYSMS
Thousands of people every year in the U.S. will have a thoracic aneurysm -- a bulge in the aorta that can lead to sudden death if it ruptures. Less than 30 percent of people who get to a hospital when their aneurysm ruptures survive. Now, an easier and safer way to repair those aneurysms before they ever do any harm.
 |
Transcript of the story
|
|
Healthy For Life Extra
extra information about the story |
|
For More Information
where to go for help |
Each year, 15,000 people in the U.S. Will develop a thoracic aneurysm -- a dangerous condition where part of the aorta in the heart bulges out. Doctor Nikhil Kansal says if it ruptures, you're in trouble.
Nikhil Kansal, M.D.
Vascular Surgeon
University of California, San Diego
San Diego, CA
"Most patients who rupture their thoracic aneurysms won't survive."
Treating aneurysms before they rupture is key. The standard fix is risky surgery, and recovery isn't easy. Good health is essential to be a candidate.
Nikhil Kansal, M.D.
"The real question is, 'what about the patients who aren't in good health, who aren't in great shape'?"
Now, he and colleague Kai Ihnken have an answer for them. They use a catheter to deploy a graft in the aorta through a small incision in the groin.
Nikhil Kansal, M.D.
"The graft is going to direct flow from here down to here, and so, there will be no more blood flow into that aneurysm itself."
Without blood, the aneurysm shrinks.
Kai Ihnken, M.D.
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
University of California, San Diego
San Diego, CA
"These patients who probably wouldn't have been candidates for an open repair now can be treated with this minimally invasive approach."
Here's an aneurysm before treatment. Here's the same area after.
Kai Ihnken, M.D.
"There is much lower mortally, lower morbidity, less blood transfusions."
Pat Kittredge was eight years old when her mother died of an aneurysm. Last year, doctors showed Pat she had one, too.
Pat Kittredge
"There on the monitor, it made it very plain. I knew I was looking at the face of death."
She had surgery to remove it and is doing fine. Doctors say the new procedure would have been easier for her and hope future patients will feel the benefit.
The procedure received FDA approval earlier this year. Doctor Ihnken says the procedure may be useful for more than just aneurysms. In the future, it could prove beneficial for trauma patients or for those who have a tear in their aorta.
BACKGROUND: According to the Society for Vascular Surgery, about 15,000 people in the United States will develop a thoracic aneurysm each year. A thoracic aneurysm is an expansion of the wall of the aorta. Basically, a portion of the aorta bulges out. The aorta is the largest artery in the body and carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. When these aneurysms rupture, it can be deadly. In fact, less than 30 percent of people who get to the hospital with a ruptured thoracic aneurysm survive.
WHAT CAUSES THORACIC ANEURYSMS? Researchers believe atherosclerosis causes thoracic aneurysms to develop. Normal arteries are smooth and open on the inside. As people age, their arteries start to harden, and plaque builds up inside them. Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and a family history of heart disease are all risk factors for atherosclerosis. Certain diseases can also weaken the aortic wall and increase one's risk of developing an aneurysm. These diseases include Marfan syndrome, syphilis and tuberculosis. Thoracic aneurysms are more common in men than in women.
FIXING ANEURYSMS: Doctors say, because of the high death rate when a rupture occurs, it is crucial to fix aneurysms before they burst. The standard fix is a major open surgery. The surgeon makes a large incision in the chest and replaces the weakened part of the aorta with a graft. The graft allows blood to pass through it and cuts off blood supply to the aneurysm. Without blood, the aneurysm disappears. The hospital stay is about a week for this surgery, and it can take months to recover. Nikhil Kansal, M.D., a vascular surgeon from the University of California, San Diego, says, "The surgery itself is pretty risky, but it's not the surgery that is the most difficult part. It's probably the recovery from the surgery itself. It's such a major operation that patients really have to be in good shape physiologically to undergo that surgery and come out successfully and recover from the surgery." Many patients may not be candidates for the surgery because they are too frail.
A BETTER FIX FOR MORE PATIENTS: Now, doctors are offering a safer, easier option for repairing aneurysms. Doctors can make a small incision in the groin and thread a catheter up to the aorta. Then, they advance a graft through the catheter and deploy it where the aneurysm is. The graft opens and seals the area. It eliminates blood from getting to the aneurysm, so the aneurysm shrinks. The procedure is much less invasive, requiring only the small incision in the groin where the catheter enters the artery. Dr. Kansal says, "The patient will usually go home the very next day. They don't have a prolonged recovery in the intensive care unit in the hospital. They don't have all the pain of an open operation. These patients, within a week, are back to baseline. They feel normal. They're going to work. They're going about their daily activities." Kai Ihnken, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon from the University of California, San Diego, says the new procedure also opens doors to patients who might not have been candidates before. He says, "It's a very low-risk procedure. It's here to stay, for sure." The device was approved by the FDA in early 2005.
Brenda Dixon
University of California San Diego Medical Center
Vascular Surgery
200 West Arbor Drive - MC 8403
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 543-6980
bdixon@ucsd.edu
Copyright © 2005 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
|
|
|
|
REVERSING SCLERODERMA
A risky treatment could be the answer for patients with serious forms of this disease. 
COLONOSCOPY-NOT JUST FOR COLON CANCER
A virtual colonoscopy detects a wide range of diseases outside the colon, which could save lives. June is national Scleroderma Awareness Month!
CLEARER MRI
A new invention helps doctors get clearer images of people who can't lie still.
HELP FOR BLOOD PRESSURE
An investigational device could help patients with this condition stay healthier.
SEEING THE HEART IN 3D
Researchers in the Netherlands are using virtual reality to see the heart like never before.
PANCREATIC CANCER VACCINE
A vaccine increases survival for patients with this deadly form of cancer.
NEW HELP FOR ALCOHOLICS
People who suffer from addiction may have a new option in the form of a pill.
TREATING URINARY INCONTINENCE
A sling helps women with this common problem find relief.
ROBOT REHAB FOR STROKE
A new robot is helping stroke patients recover without a therapist.
STEM CELLS HEAL HEARTS
Donor stem cells may be the answer for patients who suffer a heart attack.
BREATHING WITH EMPHYSEMA
A new, nonsurgical procedure could help patients breathe more easily.
DOPPLER PREDICTS STROKE
The same technology used to forecast a storm is helping doctors understand strokes and migraines.
BETTER BYPASS SURGERY
Cutting-edge technology allows doctors to fix a coronary bypass operation while the patient is still in surgery.
BETTER KIDNEY TRANSPLANT TREATMENT
A new treatment could reduce the risk of rejection within six months of a transplant.
WRAPPING RADIATION AROUND TUMORS
New technology allows doctors to target tumors with better precision.
CUTTING-EDGE SURGERY EDUCATION
Huge monitors and microscopic cameras are making it easier for surgeons to teach residents complicated procedures.
LUNG CANCER VACCINE
A vaccine under study offers hope for some patients who are diagnosed with this deadly cancer.
EASIER COLON CANCER TEST
A blood test may be the future in screening for colon cancer.
STEM CELLS FIGHT LUPUS
Using a patient's own stem cells could provide a cure for this devastating disease.
NEW SINUS RELIEF WITH A BALLOON
A new technique pushes sinus blockages out of the way and results in less pain.
HUNTINGTON'S HELP
A drug already approved in Europe and Canada could offer hope to patients who are plagued by this disease.
INHALED CHEMO
A new twist on standard chemotherapy offers less side effects and better precision.
STRENGTHENING BRITTLE BONES
A drug to treat osteoporosis is helping patients with a disease that weakens their bones.
BIRD FLU: BE PREPARED
Find out what you can do to prepare for the flu that experts think will hit the states in the coming months.
|
Send email to news@wchstv.com for information or comments concerning WCHS-TV Eyewitness News.
