Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) has successfully performed a total hybrid aortic arch replacement, a procedure that is used to repair aortic aneurysms.

Malaysia’s leading heart centre in a statement said the approach, also known as a “frozen elephant trunk” operation due to the shape of the aortic arch, means that patients now only need a single operation.

IJN said previously, patients would need to undergo two separate procedures, subsequently increasing the costs and risks to the patient.

IJN CEO Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Azhari Yakub said the centre is the first in the country to successfully carry out the procedure.

“The first ‘frozen elephant trunk’ surgery was completed in January last year. Since then, we have performed 10 cases of total thoracic aortic repair using the method and this, the largest such series of cases in the country.

“As the country’s premier heart centre, we continuously strive to offer patients world-class treatment to improve their outcomes,” he said in the statement.

Meanwhile, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Paneer Selvam Krishna Moorthy said that IJN had recently completed Malaysia’s first total aorta replacement surgery. This procedure was carried out on a patient who had a thoracoabdominal aneurysm — an aneurysm occurring in both the thoracic and abdominal aorta — earlier this week.

An aortic aneurysm is the abnormal swelling of the aorta, which is the body’s largest blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

If left untreated, an aneurysm can eventually cause the vessel to bulge to the point of rupture. In such cases, the risk of death is as high as 80%.

“Repairing the aorta is still a very complicated process, and some patients’ only options are limited to open surgery due to the nature of their heart condition or other existing comorbidities. But with the expertise, facilities and capabilities available at IJN, we are able to utilise the latest techniques — from endovascular surgery (a minimally invasive procedure) to ‘frozen elephant trunk’ — to save more lives,” he said.

Dr Paneer Selvam said the centre is also in the middle of its “Aortic Week”, aimed at educating medical professionals interested in complex aortic cases such as arch and thoracoabdominal aneurysm surgery and dissection.

The week-long event features live surgeries, as well as an intensive one-day workshop led by Dr Jorge Mascaro, the lead surgeon for aortic services and transplant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, UK. — TMR