Yale’s aortic surgery team, in collaboration with the Yale Heart and Vascular Center, has reached a landmark achievement, performing its 100th Fenestrated and/or Branched EndoVascular Aneurysm Repair (F/BEVAR) this September. The accomplishment highlights four years of rapid growth in Yale’s complex aortic surgery efforts and underscores the institution’s leadership in the treatment of complex aortic disease.
“This milestone reflects a coordinated effort across multiple specialties,” says David Kuwayama, MD, MPA, MPhil, director of aortic surgery in the Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy. “It represents years of investment in training, innovation, and collaboration.”
The program’s success is driven by a broad multidisciplinary partnership of surgeons, physicians, nurses, and specialized staff. In 2021, the team became one of the first in the nation to employ a novel branched aortic stent graft system, enabling minimally invasive repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and dissections. In 2024, the team was first in Connecticut to employ the first and only FDA-approved off-the-shelf thoracoabdominal stent graft.
Since adopting the technology, Yale has steadily expanded its treatment options for patients who otherwise would not be candidates for traditional open surgery. The team’s Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) trial for physician-modified thoracoabdominal fenestrated and branched endografts is now actively enrolling patients, expanding access to next-generation repair strategies and advancing the future of complex aortic treatment.
Importantly, the program’s growth has not been limited to endovascular therapy. Yale surgeons continue to perform a full spectrum of traditional aortic operations, including thoracic, thoracoabdominal, and abdominal aneurysm repairs.
Maintaining depth in both open and endovascular approaches distinguishes Yale as a comprehensive center for complex aortic care, notes Kuwayama, “The ability to offer every patient the right operation—whether advanced endovascular repair or open surgery—is core to our mission.”