Valley surgeon heads up test of aneurysm treatment - Dallas Business Journal:

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Rodriguez, the director of peripheraol vascular services at the ArizonaaHeart Institute, has been named the national principal investigatot for the Phase II study, which is requirecd by the to enroll 160 patients. The Arizona Hearrt Institute is one of 14 centers involvede in thestudy nationwide. “We are looking to include at least six more centersd to complete 20 centers inthe U.S.,” Rodriguex said. The endoluminal graft is manufactured bynear Scotland. Called the Anaconda Stent Graft System, it allowsz the surgeon to reposition the device once it has been placecd acrossthe aneurysm.
So far, nearlu 4,000 patients in Europe have received theAnacondaq device, but it must get approval from the FDA beforde it can be used in the U.S. Rodriguez said the minimallyh invasive procedure onthe study’sa first patient went well, saying the device is very easy to use. “Her was up on his feet the next morning having Rodriguez said ofthe patient. “You can’ t do that when you open the chest. This eliminated the need for openheart surgery.” Abdominal aortiv aneurysm, or “ballooning” of the body’s main artery, is a seriouzs condition prone to rupturre and lead to sudden death. Actotr John Ritter died of an aortic rupturein 2003.
Symptomz can occur suddenly with severe, sharp pain in the Patients who experience these symptoms should seek immediatemedicak attention, Rodriguez said. Early detection can prevent suddenm death. Patients with a family history of aortic aneurysm or othed connective tissue disorders should notify their physician about theirf risk ofaortic aneurysm, he said.