Building on Houston’s legacy as the birthplace of cardiovascular surgery, a new generation of physicians and researchers are leading the field into new frontiers of lifesaving discovery and patient care.

Gustavo S. Oderich, MD, is one of the outstanding surgeons writing the next chapter in heart and vascular medicine.

Oderich, professor and John P. and Kathrine G. McGovern Distinguished Chair of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery with UTHealth Houston Heart and Vascular, and a world-class team are pioneering minimally invasive endovascular surgical techniques to treat complex aortic aneurysms.

In fact, Oderich is one of the few surgeons in the United States — and the only one in Houston — approved by the FDA to use these specialized devices.

Aortic aneurysms have traditionally been repaired through open chest or open abdominal surgery to replace weak, bulging areas of the blood vessel’s wall using fabric grafts. Recovery often includes a weeklong hospital stay and a month or more of recovery time.

However, for many patients with aortic aneurysms, new treatment options, like those provided by Oderich, are more personalized and less invasive.

Oderich uses fenestrated and branched stent-grafts that are specifically manufactured to fit each patient’s unique anatomy and to replace the diseased section of the aorta.

The stent-grafts are placed through a small incision and guided by X-ray during surgery, resulting in restored blood flow to the liver, intestines, kidneys, and other vital organs, and reducing the risk of a rupture or dissection. Post-surgery recovery is as short as one week, allowing a quick, safe return to regular routines.

Learn more about how the renowned UTHealth Houston Heart and Vascular team is advancing cardiovascular medicine and collaborating to treat complex cases from every angle.