http://www.or-live.com/gore/1905 Heart Disease: On November 6, 2007, at 3 pm (EST) surgeons and radiologists from the University of Michigan Health System will perform a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm repair with the GORE TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis. Himanshu J. Patel, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery and David M. Williams, MD, Professor of Radiology will perform the procedure at University of Michigan Medical Center. In the procedure, the GORE TAG® Thoracic Device – the only approved endoprosthesis in the US that provides a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery – will be positioned in the diseased area of the aorta through a small incision made in the patient's groin. The case can be viewed live by logging onto www.or-live.com on the date and time of the broadcast. Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are diagnosed in approximately 15,000 people annually. An aneurysm can cause the aorta to grow to several times its normal size. Left untreated, the aneurysm can rupture, resulting in internal bleeding and in most cases, death. Endovascular repair is a relatively new procedure for the treatment of TAAs. It is less invasive than open surgery and involves sealing off the aneurysm by placing a graft, the GORE TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis, inside of the diseased aorta and creating a new path for blood flow. The GORE TAG® Device treats a TAA by means of minimally invasive endovascular repair. It is constructed of a tube-shaped stent-graft made of proven biocompatible ePTFE material and an outer self-expanding nitinol support structure to combine both device flexibility and material durability. The function of the GORE TAG® Device is to create a new aortic lining and seal off blood flow into the aneurysm. The device can be precisely positioned through a small incision made in the patient's groin. In clinical trials comparing the GORE TAG® Device to open surgical repair, GORE TAG® Device patients experienced fewer complications,...