The Critical Issues in Aortic Endografting International Experts Symposium focuses on the the most pressing issues affecting minimally-invasive aortic repair. At this year’s event in Malmö, Sweden, two of these issues were progressive aortic disease and radiation challenges.
We are beginning to understand that most all aortic disease is progressive; that is to say, the disease spreads throughout the aorta over time. The experts now know something that was not well understood ten years ago — that a simple repair that avoids involving branch arteries is often just a stopgap measure, and that in order to achieve a long-lasting repair it is necessary to do a complex treatment that involves more of the aorta. The experts also acknowledged that there exists a challenge with respect to performing these procedures outside high-volume institutions.
The radiation challenges discussion was quite lively, with the experts concurring that fluoroscopic radiation is an important concern even as it needs to be better understood. The audience responded with audible enthusiasm when Dr. Eagleton posited that in the future radiation will not be necessary for imaging as he presented the IOPS technology, including both the product currently being prepared for market and the products in advanced R&D.
Putting these together and looking to the future, to provide the best care we need to facilitate the widespread adoption of more complex endovascular treatments with an enabling technology. At the same time, the world’s leaders in endovascular surgery are champing at the bit for safer and more advanced imaging. IOPS is a technology that simultaneously stands to address both of these critical issues.
*Pictured: Matt Eagleton, Massachusetts General Hospital, Bijan Modarai, King’s College London, Nuno Dias, Skåne University Hospital, Eric Verhoeven, Klinikum Nuremberg