Oklahoma City, Okla. — Aortic aneurysms are often referred to as “silent killers” because they can develop without symptoms, resulting in 10,000-15,000 deaths a year in the U.S. Vascular surgeons at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital - Oklahoma City are taking one more step towards keeping Oklahomans from being one of those statistics.
Patients with complex aortic aneurysms are being treated with the TAMBE (thoracoabdominal branch endoprosthesis) device, the first FDA-approved, off-the-shelf repair for patients with aneurysms. The procedure specifically addresses thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (when the aorta bulges across both the chest and abdomen), and high surgical risk patients with pararenal aortic aneurysms (when the aorta occurs near the kidney arteries).
Since being approved by the FDA in 2024, vascular surgeons at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital have performed the most TAMBE procedures in Oklahoma.
TAMBE provides a minimally invasive alternative to treating aneurysms, allowing surgeons to guide the device through small incisions in the groin and arm. Once in place, the implantable device seals off the aneurysm while maintaining blood flow to critical organs through built-in branching portals. Previously, treatment options were limited, often requiring open surgical repair — a complex procedure associated with higher rates of complications — or custom-built devices that could delay care.
“Using the endovascular technology available with TAMBE allows us to treat some of the most complex aneurysms in a minimally invasive way,” said Bernardino Rocha, M.D., the first vascular surgeon at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital to perform the procedure. “For our patients, that means smaller incisions, faster recovery and the ability to get them back on their feet sooner. They can typically leave the hospital in three to four days.”
A typical TAMBE surgery has Rocha teaming up with SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital colleagues Bryan Bennett, D.O. — also a TAMBE-trained vascular surgeon — and Alejandro Murillo-Berlioz, M.D., a cardiac surgeon.
“Our team of highly experienced surgeons is committed to delivering leading-edge care close to where people live, so they don’t have to travel far during some of the most critical moments in their lives,” said Tammy Powell, president of SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital and SSM Health Bone & Joint Hospital at St. Anthony. “This is where we live, too, and we are deeply committed to keeping our communities across Oklahoma safe, healthy and strong.”
Screening for aortic aneurysms is critical to saving lives with procedures such as TAMBE, especially for individuals at higher risk, including those who ever smoked, have high blood pressure or have a family history of aneurysms. Screening typically involves a simple abdominal ultrasound and is recommended for adults ages 65 to 75. Most insurance plans cover the screening.
Patients with risk factors are encouraged to speak with their primary care provider about screening options. To find a provider, visit ssmhealth.com/find-a-doctor.
About SSM Health
Nationally recognized for quality and innovation, SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit, fully integrated health system working to advance health equity and empower all people to achieve their full potential. With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health provides convenient access to high-quality community-based services as well as world-class academic medicine, clinical trials and research studies.
In Oklahoma, SSM Health includes St. Anthony Hospital (Oklahoma City), Bone & Joint Hospital at St. Anthony (Oklahoma City), SSM Health Outpatient Center (Oklahoma City), St. Anthony Hospital - Shawnee (Shawnee, Okla.), St. Anthony Hospital - Shawnee, Seminole Campus (Seminole, Okla.), St. Anthony Hospital - Midwest (Midwest City, Okla.), and two joint venture partnerships, SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital, an SSM Health Select Medical partnership (Oklahoma City), and SSM Health Oklahoma Spine Hospital, Physician Owned (Oklahoma City). The SSM Health network in Oklahoma also includes five SSM Health St. Anthony Healthplex campuses, seven managed hospitals, 15 rural affiliated hospitals and SSM Health Medical Group with more than 350 physicians and providers.
