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Aortic Disease

Sanger’s Center for Aortic Disease draws international referrals from physicians who seek the most innovative treatments for their patients.

Recent Highlights

Cardiology Aortic Disease Clinic: This clinic works in coordination with Sanger’s cardiothoracic surgery and vascular surgery clinic. The clinic offers individualized medical management, imaging consultation, multidisciplinary surveillance, access to genetic testing and preoperative planning. Our cardiologist works closely with surgeons to determine appropriate time for a referral for surgical consultation throughout the surveillance period.

Innovations

Specialized protocol for ruptured aortic aneurysms and thoracic aortic dissections: We are one of the only centers in the Carolinas offering code rupture and code dissection to quickly identify and treat aortic patients.

Advanced genetic testing for aortopathies: We started offering this testing in collaboration with Sanger’s Marfan Syndrome and Genetic Aortopathy Clinic, which recently received national recognition from the Marfan Foundation.

ERAS® Center of Excellence: Carolinas Medical Center was named the nation’s first accredited ERAS® Center of Excellence, for evidencebased, multidisciplinary, patientcentered and value-based care.

Remote patient monitoring program: Our aortic patients can participate in Sanger’s remote patient monitoring program. This program reduces readmissions by using Bluetooth technology, a smartphone app and weekly virtual visits to monitor patients during the critical 30-day post-op period. We leverage ERAS® protocols to continue improving outcomes while reducing complications and length of stay.

Novel aortic technologies: Sanger continues to be at the forefront of new technologies; we’re currently part of the TRIOMPHE trial for a new aortic arch stent graft system, as well as the ARISE II and PERSEVERE clinical trials exploring endovascular stenting for ascending aneurysms and aortic dissections.

Awards

  • US News and World Report: High preforming hospitals in aortic valve surgery for 2023 and 2024, badge.

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    Logo for The Marfan Foundation.

    Sanger achieved new recognition by being added to the Marfan Foundation’s Directory of Medical Institutions.

Endovascular Aortic Procedures


  • 117

    Annual EVAR Procedures
    M2S, September 2022 - August 2023


  • 0.45%

    EVAR Elective Procedures In-Hospital Mortality Rate
    Since Inception of Program
    M2S, January 2011 - September 2023


  • 0%

    TEVAR Elective Procedures In-Hospital Mortality Rate
    Since Inception of Program
    M2S, January 2012 - September 2023


  • 0%

    TEVAR Elective Procedures In-Hospital Mortality Rate
    M2S, September 2022 - August 2023

Leadership

  • Frank Arko.

    Frank Arko, MD

    Co-Director, Aortic Center, Silverling Endowed Chair in Vascular Surgery Chief, Vascular Surgery

  • Eric Skipper.

    John Frederick, MD

    Co-Director, Aortic Center Chief, Cardiovascular Surgery

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