Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute Performs First Advanced “Aortic Arch” Replacement Procedure
MIAMI, FL – July 1, 2024 – Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute performs its first advanced “aortic arch” replacement surgery using the normothermic “total arch replacement” (TAR) approach. Mehrdad Ghoreishi, M.D., co-director of aortic surgery and medical director of cardiac surgery research at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute performed the first case.
This technique differs from a traditional total aortic arch replacement which needs to lower a patient's core body temperature to as low as 20 degrees Celsius, slow down cellular activity, and allow blood circulation to be stopped for up to 40 minutes. The surgery usually takes up to seven hours.
Using the normothermic TAR approach only requires up to seven minutes of circulatory arrest without lowering a patient's body temperature, and the surgery takes a total of only three to four hours. Patients recover more quickly and can resume their normal active lives.
“I am truly honored to be the first surgeon at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute to perform this procedure and create a new option for patients who are suffering from aortic disease,” said Dr. Ghoreishi. “The evolution of new techniques in aortic procedures allows us to treat patients safely and with low risk for both complications and mortality. I am glad I can bring this world-class method to the South Florida community.”
The aortic arch is the body’s largest artery that helps distribute blood to the head and upper extremities. The arch sits over the heart between the ascending and descending aorta. As the aging population in the U.S. grows, the prevalence of aortic disease, which could increase the risk of aneurysms or worse, is increasing. Risk factors include age, smoking, high blood pressure, the buildup of plaques in the arteries, a family history, or certain genetic conditions.
“Dr. Ghoreishi is one of the most experienced and skilled surgeons in the world when it comes to aortic surgery, and I am looking forward to the work and insight he will bring to our institute as a valuable member of our team, said Tom Nguyen, M.D. director of minimally invasive valve surgery, chief medical executive and Barry T. Katzen Medical Director Endowed Chair of Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. “Dr. Ghoreishi has already advanced patient care with the institute’s first normothermic total arch replacement and other surgeries he has developed to lower the risk of complications and significantly improve outcomes.”
About Baptist Health
Baptist Health is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 27,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned institutes specializing in cancer care, brain and spine care, heart and vascular care and orthopedic care. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and The Baptist Health PineApp, a virtual health platform. Baptist Health South Florida is an academic and clinical affiliate of Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and is the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
