When you need care for an aortic aneurysm, the Center for Complex Aortic Disease at UMass Memorial in Worcester, MA, offers the most comprehensive program in New England with the broadest range of treatment options.

The Center for Complex Aortic Disease is a nationwide leader in the repair of complex aortic aneurysms, involving the aorta and arteries to the kidneys and intestines. The center is one of 10 centers in the U.S. that has access to custom-made endografts (covered stents placed inside the aneurysm to keep it from rupturing) and one of three centers in the country that can use physician-modified endografts through a clinical trial. We have completed more than 420 procedures. 

Our vascular surgeons are the first in the U.S. to perform an aneurysm repair with a new technology that uses fiber optic cable imaging instead of X-ray radiation ... Safer for the patient and safer for the staff.

 
We understand how frightening the diagnosis of an aortic aneurysm can be for you. The ultimate goal of our highly skilled multidisciplinary team of experts, including vascular surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and radiologists, is to see you live a long and healthy life, without the burden or fear of your disease. We work together to create a personalized aortic aneurysm treatment plan that decreases the risk of rupture. Each patient referred is assigned a nurse practitioner/patient liaison to ensure a smooth navigation from initial referral to surgery and through their postoperative visits.

What Is a Complex Aortic Aneurysm?

Aortic aneurysms are a dangerous weakening of the walls of the main artery in the abdomen. Similarly, complex aortic aneurysms can occur in any portion of the aorta. However, some are complex because the aneurysm begins very close to or includes one or more of the major arteries that branch off of the aorta.

In these situations, conventional devices can’t be used. The only aortic aneurysm treatment option is open repair or the use of one of the experimental devices available through various research studies.

Meet Andres Schanzer, MD, Program Director, Center for Complex Aortic Disease