April 2005

 Emory Participates in Study Using Implants to Monitor Aneurysm Leaks

During the repair of a patient's abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with an endovascular graft, Emory vascular surgeon Ross Milner, MD, implanted a wireless microchip sensor designed to detect endoleaks with the potential to cause a fatal rupture, an implantation that was part of the Acute Pressure Measurement to Confirm Aneurysm Sac Exclusion (APEX) Trial. Created by Atlanta-based CardioMEMS, the sensor monitors pressure in the aneurysm sac and allows the patient's aneurysm pressure readings to be taken using a remote device equipped with an antenna, ideally avoiding the lifetime of periodic CT scans every six to 12 months that most endograft repair patients endure. The FDA approved the procedure for investigational purposes, but it is expected to receive FDA approval this year. Emory vascular surgeons first performed the procedure in October 2004 and to date have placed a total of seven implants.

"We'll continue to stay on the leading edge of the field with this study and others," Dr. Milner says. "The CardioMEMS device has the potential to dramatically change our follow-up for patients after endovascular aneurysm repair."

Aneurysms are typically repaired with stent grafts that isolate an aneurysm from pressure by forming a new pathway for blood flow. Still, blood may leak into the sac and cause a rupture. The CardioMEMS pressure sensor is implanted in the aneurysm sac and is able to detect any abnormal pressure changes after the aneurysm repair. Although hospital visitations are still required to monitor the pressure, patients with the implant do not have to endure the injectable contrast agents used during the CT scans. Also, it's likely that an aneurysm can have elevated pressure even if there isn't a visible endoleak on a CT scan.

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