Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura is the First Hospital in Ventura County to use New Minimally-Invasive Technology to Repair Aneurysms

Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura is proud to announce that it has become the first hospital in Ventura County to perform a complex, minimally invasive vascular surgery called Thoracoabdominal Branch Endoprosthesis (TAMBE), marking a major milestone in the treatment of aortic aneurysms.

Physicians David Blitzer and Li Sheng Kong successfully performed the first TAMBE procedure late last year. This groundbreaking accomplishment was made possible by the expertise of these physicians supported by Community Memorial’s highly skilled catheterization lab team.

The TAMBE device, approved by the FDA in January 2024, is a stent-like device designed to treat some of the most challenging and life-threatening aneurysms and aortic diseases. The TAMBE is inserted through small groin/arm incisions, offering a safer alternative to open surgery with less blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and a faster recovery.

An aneurysm is an abnormal bulge or ballooning in the wall of an artery. Aneurysms can occur anywhere in the body but most commonly occur in the brain or the aorta, which is the main blood vessel in the chest and abdomen. If left untreated, an aneurysm can rupture, causing major internal bleeding, stroke, or death. Aneurysms often are life-threatening and can require emergency medical intervention if the risk of rupture becomes too high.

“TAMBE allows us to fix it with just a few incisions and have a patient undergo a much quicker, safer recovery,” Dr. Blitzer said.

Historically, this type of repair required surgery with a large incision through the chest and abdomen, with significant risks. Dr. Blitzer said the TAMBE device now allows physicians to work on a wider group of patients to repair aneurysms – most notably older, sicker, or more frail patients who likely could not recover from a major surgery.

By being the first hospital in Ventura County to offer TAMBE, Community Memorial Hospital has again demonstrated its leadership in the areas of vascular surgery and new technology. This achievement ensures that patients in the community have access to leading-edge care close to home.