Bend, Ore. — February 11, 2014 — Dr. Wayne Nelson is the first Surgeon to implant the FDA approved Cook Zenith Fenestrated Aortic Endograft (ZFEN) in Oregon, providing patients a new treatment option not previously available.
“Patients with aortic aneurysms are at risk for sudden death if left untreated. In the past, minimally invasive repair for some of these patients whose aneurysms are close to the renal arteries has been nearly impossible and would require major surgery,” says Dr. Wayne Nelson, Vascular Surgeon. “This new graft allows us to treat them using a minimally invasive procedure with less pain, fewer complications, and a faster recovery where the patient can leave the hospital in many cases, the next day and return to normal activities in a week.”
Instead of a large incision associated with a major surgery, with endovascular repairs, Dr. Nelson completes the entire repair without incisions using only two needle holes in the groin.
The fenestrated endograft is a tubular, fabric graft with supporting metal stents that features custom-positioned holes (fenestrations) that ensure proper blood flow through the aorta and to the kidneys and nearby organs. Each fenestrated device is custom-made to suit individual patients’ anatomy by Cook’s endograft manufacturing division.
Dr. Nelson came to Central Oregon in July through a partnership with St. Charles Health System to expand the region’s vascular program. The surgery took place at St. Charles Bend last week.
Dr. Nelson graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and attended Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Nelson completed a 5-year Surgery residency and an additional 2-year fellowship in Endovascular and Vascular Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery, a member of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and has the Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation credential. He has won the Patient’s Choice Award in Texas for the last five years and recently was recognized as a Five Year Honoree.
About Bend Memorial Clinic
Bend Memorial Clinic includes more than 115 providers representing 30 specialties including Urgent Care, Primary Care, Specialty Care, Imaging and Clinical Services. With five locations BMC is the largest multi-specialty group in Central Oregon and provides quality, convenient healthcare known as TotalCareTM. The Clinic has provided primary and specialty care since 1946. For more information, please visit typethinkbmc.wpengine.com.
About St. Charles Health System
St. Charles Health System, Inc., headquartered in Bend, Ore., owns and operates St. Charles Bend, Madras and Redmond, and leases and operates Pioneer Memorial Hospital. It also owns family care clinics in Bend, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters. St. Charles is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with more than 3,400 caregivers. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with the health system to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities. Learn more at www.stcharleshealthcare.org.