Gangnam Severance Achieves Asia's First 50 Cases of 'E-vita OPEN NEO'

Introduction of Hybrid Aortic Surgery Equipment After 9 Months
Typically Requires 2 Procedures for Aortic Aneurysm and Aortic Dissection Surgery
Now Solvable with a Single Surgery

Song Seok-won, Director of the Daedong Artery Vascular Center (center), is performing the 50th hybrid aortic surgery using the 'E-vita OPEN NEO' device.
[Photo by Gangnam Severance]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The Aortic Vascular Center at Yonsei University Gangnam Severance Hospital announced on the 28th that it has achieved 50 surgeries using the 'E-vita OPEN NEO,' a hybrid stent graft device, for the first time in Korea. This achievement was reached just nine months after its first introduction in April last year, marking the first in Asia.

The E-vita OPEN NEO is a type of hybrid stent graft that allows simultaneous treatment of the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta in a single surgery.

In conventional surgeries for aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection, surgery on the ascending aorta and aortic arch was performed first, followed by surgery or procedures on the descending aorta 3 to 6 months later. Since two surgeries were required, the overall surgery and treatment period was prolonged. Additionally, slow recovery after the first surgery sometimes prevented patients from undergoing the second surgery, or the descending aorta ruptured while waiting for the second surgery, resulting in patient deaths.

To address these issues, the Aortic Vascular Center at Gangnam Severance Hospital introduced the E-vita OPEN NEO as a rare and urgently needed medical device through the Korea Medical Device Safety Information Center under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in April last year and performed surgeries using it. By completing treatment of diseases in the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta in one surgery, patient safety and treatment convenience were improved. Furthermore, patients' anxiety about undergoing two separate surgeries was alleviated, enhancing their quality of life.

Song Seok-won, head of the Aortic Vascular Center and professor of cardiovascular surgery, stated, "The conventional surgical method caused significant pain and burden for patients and their families, but using the E-vita OPEN NEO device to treat in a single surgery greatly reduced patient discomfort. Notably, no special side effects were observed in the 50 patients who underwent surgery. This successful surgery proves that we have reached a world-class level."