Dr. Khaled I. Khalaf and team performed the first surgical intervention for deep vein thrombectomy at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood on Sept. 15
Houston, Texas — HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood has become one of the first Houston-area hospitals to implant two new surgical implements.
The first is a next-generation flow diverter to treat brain aneurysms. An aneurysm occurs when part of a blood vessel becomes weak, causing the vessel to balloon or bulge and fill with blood. Aneurysms can occur in any blood vessel in the body. However, brain aneurysms are the most life-threatening. If left untreated, the aneurysm may continue to weaken until it bursts and bleeds into the brain. Almost 500,000 deaths occur each year as a result of a brain aneurysm.
Since its launch in Europe last year, this device has been approved in over 45 countries and more than 1,500 patients have been treated with this technology. The arrival has been highly anticipated in the United States due to these technical and clinical results. The procedure was first performed at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood on Sept. 30 by Mohamad Ezzeldin, M.D., and his team, and it was successful.
"I'm thrilled that this new and innovative device is now available to my patients at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood," said Ezzeldin.
HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood also announced the first successful surgical intervention for deep vein thrombectomy using the Inari ClotTriever device, a technology used to remove blood clots from the leg to decrease pain and swelling and reduce risk of embolization to the pulmonary vasculature.
This device enables physicians to remove blood clots from large veins through a very small incision in the skin, under local anesthesia. The device resembles a fishing net that is deployed within the vein, then pulled down to capture and remove the clot.
Khaled I. Khalaf, M.D., an interventional and structural cardiologist, performed the procedure for the first time on Sept. 15. "This breakthrough technology is a game changer in how we approach patients with deep vein thrombosis," he said afterward. "This tool is a great advance for patients with deep vein thrombosis, as quite often blood thinners alone are no longer enough for most of them."
Patients who are treated with blood thinners alone run the risk of chronic pain, swelling and skin discoloration, and clots can potentially travel to the lungs, which may result in a fatal pulmonary embolism.
Half a million Americans develop blood clots annually, often enduring long hospital stays and using medication that can increase the risk of bleeding. Frequent fliers and those who spend a lot of time in a seated position are at the greatest risk for deep vein thrombosis
"At HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood, we are committed to providing world-class care close to home," said John Corbeil, the hospital's chief executive officer. "Bringing new, innovative technology and techniques expand the number of patients whose lives we can positively impact. We are extremely proud to be among the first hospitals in Houston to utilize these potentially life-saving tools."
Dr. Mohamad Ezzeldin and team implanted the first next-generation flow diverter to treat brain aneurysms at HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood on Sept. 30.