This innovative technology offers something to reach a broader patient base and data is showing strong positive outcomes for the criteria of fixation and endoleaks which has posed challenges for several of the competitor devices used in endovascular aortic repair procedures. About 20% of Aorfix registry cases have been in highly challenging and complex anatomies that doctors say could normally not be treated with competitor endografts.
Jöerg Tessarek, St Franziskus Hospital Münster, Germany, said: "Due to the nitinol ring exoskeleton, the graft could adapt to severe neck angulations beyond 90° and to tortuous iliacs with more than 150° angulations in our experience, without primary or secondary type I endoleak in 14 months follow up."
"With the ‘fish mouth’ top end, the sealing zone can be ‘stretched’ to a fully-covered suprarenal fixation and sealing. The main body placed in the optimal longitudinal position as well, can be angled for 90° or more without lumen decrease or signs of flow reduction."
Clinicians using the device understand it is important to have regular, ongoing experience with the graft across a wide range of cases. Lombard’s hands-on training courses ensure that the techniques associated with understanding the technology are fully understood in an open learning environment.
Aorfix European Workshops
These events run throughout the year at some of the most experienced Aorfix centres, such as those in Bath, UK, with Michael Horrocks and John Hardman, and Prague, Czech Republic, with Petr Varejka and Samuel Heller.
The courses offer a more in-depth understanding of the product features, such as how to optimise performance, as well as case reviews, sizing, and planning.
Customers are able to meet the company’s designers and engineers, as well as the training team and company management, who give an overview of the organisation, product development history, and engage in discussions around future innovations.
Informal discussions with current users, as well as those new to Aorfix, take place over dinner, and a chance to see live cases as well as join in a hands-on session are part of the offering.
"The Aorfix workshops greatly speed up the learning process of a new device and provide a useful forum to share ideas, techniques and discuss endovascular solutions for challenging cases which may have otherwise been considered unsuitable for endovascular repair," said John Hardman, Royal United Hospital Bath, UK.
"The multidisciplinary team at Lombard provides a high level understanding of the sizing, planning, engineering, technical and clinical considerations for using the flexible Aorfix stent graft in standard and in extreme anatomy. This provides a good level of confidence for new users of the Aorfix device."
For more information on the courses and how to enrol, visit the Lombard website or contact Sonia Tyas.
