Aortic aneurysms can be deadly. If they rupture, a person only has a 20% chance of survival.

The aorta, sometimes referred to as “the pulse of life,” is the main and largest artery in the body, carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the circulatory system. In some people, the aorta can develop bulges that can build up pressure over time, causing them to burst and tear the wall of the artery. When this happens, it can lead to severe pain, a sudden drop in blood pressure and massive internal bleeding.

It’s a medical emergency that requires immediate attention, often with highly invasive surgery involving a large incision from the shoulder blade to the lower abdomen to repair the damage. Recovery times are long and the complications are high. Other treatment options also have been very limited.

Now, Utahns with the condition can be treated with a new minimally invasive procedure at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. The hospital is the first in the nation to use the new Food and Drug Administration-approved device.

Dr. Evan Brownie, co-director at the Intermountain Health Aortic Center, performed the first commercial procedure outside of participants in a national clinical trial, using the Gore EXCLUDER Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis, or TAMBE. He said the new treatment is a game changer for patients with the life-threatening condition.

“We’re thrilled to be the first hospital in the country to use the TAMBE device in a real-world setting to help patients in need,” Brownie said. “This is a major step forward in how we treat complex aortic aneurysms, and it’s exciting to see such positive outcomes right out of the gate.”

Instead of a large incision, surgeons make small punctures in the femoral arteries in the groin and one beneath the collarbone to deliver a custom stent graft. This graft includes separate branches that supply blood to the affected organs.

Brownie said the TAMBE device is a significant advancement in vascular surgery. It’s the first and only readily available device to treat complex aneurysms in the visceral aorta — blood vessels that branch off from the aorta that supply blood to organs in the abdomen including the intestines, liver, spleen, stomach and kidneys.

“This device was designed specifically for these complex cases, and the difference it makes is already clear,” Brownie said. “For the first time, we have an off-the-shelf solution that’s FDA-approved, and the early results are excellent.”

Brownie said having access to this device means offering cutting-edge, minimally invasive treatments that weren’t available before.

“We’re at the forefront of something truly significant and it’s exciting to be part of a new era in treating these complex and dangerous aneurysms,” he said. “It’s going to have a huge impact on patients not only here in Utah but across the country.”

Depending on the location of the aneurysm, symptoms may differ or not occur at all. However, if they do, they can include difficult or painful swallowing; difficulty breathing; feeling full after not eating very much; hoarseness; pain in the neck, jaw, back, chest stomach or shoulder area; a pulsating or throbbing feeling in your stomach area; shortness of breath; swelling of the face, neck or arms; lightheadedness; rapid heart rate; or sudden, severe pain in the stomach, chest or back.