Thoraflex Hybrid, manufactured by Terumo Aortic. – The Valley Hospital
The Valley Hospital has performed its first implant of Thoraflex Hybrid, manufactured by Terumo Aortic. The graft and stent hybrid is used to replace the diseased portion of the aorta in patients who have an aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection.
The implant was performed by Dr. Habib Jabagi, director of the Aortic Aneurysm Program at The Valley Hospital.
An aortic aneurysm is a bulge of the aorta, the largest artery in the body, which carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If the aorta tears or ruptures, an aortic dissection occurs, which can be fatal. When a patient has either of these conditions, Thoraflex Hybrid can be implanted, similar to a graft, to repair or replace the diseased aorta, specifically the aortic arch and nearby descending aorta.
The Thoraflex Hybrid is designed with a self-expanding stent and polyester (known for the effectiveness of graft material) graft, allowing for a single and safe operation when compared with traditional two-part surgery that consists of repair followed by stenting.
Benefits of the Thoraflex Hybrid include reduced post-operation complications, such as bleeding and required transfusions. In some cases, this implant allows for dissections to be repaired in a single-stage procedure.
Use of Thoraflex Hybrid was approved in the United States in 2022. With only a small patient population eligible for this procedure, this was the first case of aortic dissection at The Valley Hospital where use was appropriate.
Jabagi completed a fellowship in Advanced Aortic Open and Endovascular Aortic Surgery at the University of Michigan and has performed many cases using the Thoraflex Hybrid in Canada, where it was approved earlier, and in the United States.
Since gaining initial European approval in 2012, the Thoraflex Hybrid device has been implanted in about 16,000 patients in more than 65 countries.
“Thoraflex Hybrid allows us to perform a complex procedure in a single operation with improved safety and outcomes for patients,” said Jabagi. “It’s a step forward in the care we can provide to those with aortic disease, and I’m proud to bring this level of innovation to our community.”
Those who participate in Valley’s Integrated Aortic Program – a diagnostic, surgical, and surveillance program for the comprehensive care of patients with an aortic aneurysm – may also be recommended for Thoraflex Hybrid.
