Houston VA implants new Cardiac Device for Complex Aortic Arch Disease
In early January, Army Veteran Alfred Robertson was feeling dizzy at his home in Houston and called 911.
“I felt that if I didn’t hit 911, I was going to fall and wait for someone to come find me,” said Robertson, who turns 70 years old this February.
He was transported to the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston and diagnosed with complex aortic arch disease. The aortic arch is the top part of the main artery carrying blood away from the heart and the disease results in abnormal blood flow to the head, neck, or arms.
If left untreated, the disease can lead to transient ischemic attacks (TIA), blood pressure changes, breathing problems, dizziness, blurred vision, weakness, and other brain and nervous system (neurological) changes, numbness of an arm, reduced pulse and swallowing problems.
Dr. Alexander Schutz, Houston VA staff surgeon, performed surgery on Mr. Robertson a few days later and implanted a new cardiac device called the Thoraflex Hybrid Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET). The device is intended to repair or replace damaged or diseased vessels of the aortic arch and repair of the descending thoracic aorta with or without involvement of the ascending aorta.
Approved by the FDA in 2022, it was the first time the Thoraflex Hybrid FET had been used at Houston VA.
“We've been aggressive to use it as soon as it was available to us,” said Dr. Schutz. “It's cutting edge in terms of aortic surgery here in the United States.”
In the VA health care system, Houston VA is a high-volume surgical center for complex aortic arch disease. Dr. Schutz said the Thoraflex Hybrid FET device streamlines the surgery.
“Often times in previous generation devices, you would have to do two separate procedures to treat the descending aorta as well as repair the aortic arch,” he said. “This device allows patients to have all areas of disease treated with one surgery.”
Mr. Robertson said he is very appreciative of Dr. Schutz and the cardiothoracic surgery team.
“I want to give all my praise to my doctor,” said Robertson, who was born and raised in Houston. “He was on point, and he knew what he was doing. I truly thank him. He’s a good doctor.”