NCH Rooney Heart Institute Vascular Team Reaches Another Milestone in Cardiac Care

First Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Endovascular Repair Performed in SW Florida

The NCH Rooney Heart Institute has reached another major milestone in advanced cardiovascular care. The vascular team led by Santiago Chahwan, MD and Alvaro Zamora, MD, recently performed the first successful Type IV thoracoabdominal aneurysm endovascular repair using the Gore Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis (TAMBE) device.

This groundbreaking procedure marks the first case of its kind performed in Southwest Florida. Until now, patients requiring this complex, life-saving repair had to be transferred to one of three hospitals in the state of Florida equipped to perform it.

The TAMBE device allows surgeons to repair large aneurysms involving both the chest and abdominal aorta through a minimally invasive approach, meaning smaller incisions, less pain, and faster recovery for patients. The TAMBE device repairs complex aortic aneurysms by creating a new channel for blood flow. It is a stent-graft that is implanted inside the aorta through small incisions to bypass and reinforce the weakened area. The device includes multiple branches that are connected to other blood vessels, allowing blood to flow to vital organs while excluding the aneurysm.

This milestone builds on recent progress at NCH, where the vascular team has successfully performed several endovascular repairs of the aortic arch in the past few months. With this latest success, the NCH Rooney Heart Institute can now treat the entire length of the aorta right here in Naples.

“This is an extraordinary accomplishment for our vascular team, and another example of how NCH Rooney Heart Institute continues to bring the most advanced cardiovascular therapies to our region,” said Robert Cubeddu, MD, Brynne and Bob Coletti Endowed Chair and President of NCH Rooney Heart Institute. “The ability to perform this highly specialized procedure locally means our patients can receive world-class care close to home, surrounded by their families and support systems.”

The NCH Rooney Heart Institute team continues to break new ground in cardiac and vascular care, expanding the range of complex procedures that can be performed locally and improving access to advanced, life-saving treatments for Southwest Florida residents.

ABOUT NCH

NCH (Naples Comprehensive Health) is an Advanced Community Healthcare System™ serving Southwest Florida with premier routine, critical, and specialty care. NCH, a locally governed non-profit, is recognized as one of Healthgrades America’s Top 50 Hospitals which puts it in the top 1% in the nation for clinical excellence, in addition to being named a Top 50 Hospital for Surgical Care. The system is more than just two hospitals (referred to as the NCH Baker Hospital and NCH North Hospital) with a total of 713 beds – NCH is an alliance of over 750 physicians and medical facilities in dozens of locations throughout Southwest Florida and is the region’s only Joint Commission accredited Comprehensive Stroke Center. NCH cardiac care is ranked top three in the state by Healthgrades. NCH collaborates with the Hospital for Special Surgery for orthopedics, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for pediatrics, and ProScan Imaging for radiology services, ensuring top-tier medical care is available in Southwest Florida. With the largest provider network, urgent/immediate care centers, diagnostic facilities, and two hospitals, NCH is always advancing the quality of care near you. For more information, visit www.NCHmd.org.