Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas says its vascular surgery team has pulled off a state first, performing Nevada’s inaugural Food and Drug Administration-approved, minimally invasive repair for complex aortic aneurysms. Hospital leaders say the move could mean shorter recoveries and lower risk for some of the valley’s sickest patients, bringing a procedure once limited to a few elite centers much closer to home.
Southern Hills Performs Nevada First
Southern Hills Hospital told KSNV that its team completed what it says is the state's first FDA-approved minimally invasive repair for complex aortic aneurysms. The operation involves aneurysms that affect the aorta, the body’s main blood vessel. "This is a transformative moment for vascular care in our community," Jason Desai, the hospital's chief operating officer, told the station.
What the New Device Does
The surgery uses an endovascular branched graft that rebuilds the aorta from inside the blood vessel, sparing patients the large chest-to-pelvis incision used in traditional open thoracoabdominal surgery, according to Gore. The company says its GORE EXCLUDER Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis (TAMBE) is the first off-the-shelf branched endovascular system cleared by the FDA to treat thoracoabdominal aneurysms. The design allows surgeons to reconnect key visceral arteries through small access points rather than a major open operation.
Smaller Cuts, Shorter Stays
The hospital told KSNV that the minimally invasive technique relies on millimeter-sized punctures and can let some patients go home within 48 hours, a big shift from the multi-week hospital stays that often follow open repair. Other hospitals using the TAMBE device report many patients are home within one to two weeks after the endovascular procedure instead of facing the longer recoveries associated with open surgery, according to Novant Health. For urgent or emergency cases, the off-the-shelf design can also avoid delays that used to come with custom-made grafts.
What This Means for Local Patients
Bringing this procedure to Las Vegas could mean fewer long-haul trips to out-of-state centers for patients with complex aortic problems, especially older or frailer people who may not be able to withstand open surgery. Early adopters around the country have reported faster access to treatment after adding the FDA-cleared branched endograft to their toolkit, saying it expands options for patients who previously had limited choices, according to Intermountain Health.
Southern Hills did not identify any patients involved in the inaugural cases. The hospital says it plans to keep building out the program and training additional staff so more people across the valley can be considered for the new option.
