Ascension St. Vincent says it has completed a new FDA-approved abdominal surgery. WNIN’s John Gibson has details:
The hospital says it performed the first local Thoracoabdominal ranch Endoprosthesis – or TAMBE.
Ascension St. Vincent says the successful surgery marks a turning point in the care for complex aortic aneurysms.
Officials say the need for a TAMBE procedure arises when there’s a weakened area of the aorta, the main artery that carries blood from the heart into the chest and abdomen.
The surgery allows for the placement of a stent graft that maintains blood flow to vital organs in the abdomen.
Until now, treatment for these potentially fatal aneurysms in Evansville has required open surgeries and long recovery times – or travel to a bigger city.
Ascension St. Vincent calls the procedure in Evansville a “milestone.”