BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo's Mercy Hospital has gained national attention for a medical milestone performed on October 15.
The new procedure, performed for the first time in the Buffalo area, has redefined the treatment of aortic aneurysms.
Robert Herrmann enjoys life's simple pleasures, including metal detecting.
It is a fun way to exercise, and he does the activity with his 14-year-old daughter, Chloe.
While hiking, the 56-year-old learned something was wrong.
"About six months ago, my daughter and I were hiking at the State Park in Allegany. My knees started to kill me. I decided I better have it checked out at my local doctor," Robert Herrmann said.
He was sent to a vascular surgeon in Olean, where he lives, which is where he learned he had an aneurysm in his abdominal area.
Because his situation was complex, the Olean surgeon recommended Herrmann see a specialist at Mercy Hospital in South Buffalo, which is how he met vascular surgeon Dr. Brendon Reilly.
"You can often identify aneurysms on a physical exam by feeling a pulsatile mass in the abdomen. So, there are ways to pick up on it but unfortunately, oftentimes they are missed and found incidentally when people are having CAT scans, ultrasounds— when people are having tests done for other reasons," Mercy Hospital Vascular Surgeon Dr. Brendon Reilly, MD said.
In Herrmann's case, it was a CAT scan.
Luckily for him, a treatment called Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis or TAMBE is an off-the-shelf endovascular solution to treat the aneurysmal disease that involves the visceral aorta, which is the artery that branches off the aorta, the body's main artery.
The TAMBE was FDA-approved in January.
"It's a minimally invasive way to fix aneurysms in the chest and abdomen. We do the procedure through mostly punctures. Sometimes, we use a small incision in the arm but for our first case, we can do it without any incisions. You go through the femoral arteries in each groin and one of your arteries in your arm," Dr. Reilly explained.
The procedure took three hours and two surgeons.
The second surgeon was Dr. William Bevilacqua.
Herrmann said his other option would have been in Cleveland.
Rochester is another option.
Now, Herrmann can get back to doing what he loves and enjoy quality time with his daughter.
"It's a good thing if it works out well. If everything works out, I'm hoping. I pray. I have a lot to live for. My little girl," Herrmann said.
