Upon uncovering that inadequate blood flow can be a more imminent, life-threatening problem than aortic rupture for some patients, a partnership between U-M cardiac surgeons and interventional radiologists resulted in a new procedural method, saving more lives.

In a Circulation study that spanned two decades and included almost 600 patients with aortic dissection, Yang and his colleagues reported a 12 percent decrease in the risk of death using his new procedural method.

“The premise of the approach is that not every untreated aortic dissection patient will rupture, but that every untreated malperfusion syndrome case will result in death,” says U-M cardiac surgeon Bo Yang, M.D., Ph.D. 

“This method is a landmark. It’s changing lives. It will take us into the future of healthcare,” says Yang, who is already talking with other institutions about the strategy. “I want every physician to know about it.”

Contact Jordyn Imhoff at [email protected] to schedule an interview with Dr. Yang.