Devices and Procedure Planning
Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) are complex aortic pathologies due to the difficult location and in part due to their frequent asymptomatic presentation, which required diagnostic confirmation by adequate imaging protocols before any complication rises. Treatment varies according to patient’s anatomy and surgeon expertise, the options include open surgery, endovascular or hybrid repair. In cases of endovascular procedures, surgical planning is crucial and traditionally based on two-dimensional (2D) Computerized Tomography Angiography (CTA) images or three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of 2D images. Advances in aortic stent grafting aim to overcome the limitations of 2D-based technology and its inaccurate capability to capture the full extent of aortic anatomy. Misinterpretation or incomplete information of this anatomy could lead to errors in preoperative planning that might be associated with complications such as misalignment, insufficient overlap, stent-graft migration, limb occlusions or even ruptures. The possibility of building customized 3D models from patient imaging studies has revolutionized the field of endovascular interventionism by reducing uncertainty. These 3D models have improved preoperative planning since they allowed accurate measure and visualize the aortic anatomy of a patient, including aneurysms location and extent, and identify other abnormalities. This enhanced planning could help physicians to better-prepare for the actual procedure, and to point out possible risks and ways to mitigate them. Additionally, these models could be useful as a tool to facilitate communication among healthcare professionals and patients.
Session Chairs:
- Nolan Cirillo-Penn, University of Minnesota
- Javier Navarro, University of Minnesota
Speakers:
- "Industry Considerations in Aortic Device Design"
Jacqueline Berning, Cook Medical - "Minimally Invasive Repair of Complex Aortic Aneurysms: Application of Technology and Care Gaps"
Nolan Cirillo-Penn, University of Minnesota - "Utility of 3D-printed Models for Pre-operative Planning of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms"
Javier Navarro, University of Minnesota
Speakers will be added as they are confirmed.
Presentation Details
Jacqueline Berning, BS
Director of Business Development, Vascular
Cook Medical
Bio: Jacqueline Jaworek Berning is Director of Business Development – Aortic at Cook Medical, where she focuses on advancing innovation and strategic partnerships in vascular and aortic therapies. She has more than a decade of experience in the medical device industry, including roles in product development, program management, and commercialization. Jacqueline holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and is passionate about translating medical device innovation into clinical impact.
Nolan Cirillo-Penn, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery
University or Minnesota
"Minimally Invasive Repair of Complex Aortic Aneurysms: Application of Technology and Care Gaps"
The treatment of aortic aneurysms and dissections has advanced rapidly over the last three decades with a large focus on minimally-invasive, endovascular techniques. As technology advances, more patients become candidates for less invasive surgery and faster recovery. However, in 2026 there are many gaps and limitations of stent grafts leaving room for ingenuity and creativity, as well as innovative device design. This talk will highlight the current state of complex endovascular repair of the ascending, arch, and thoracoabdominal aorta as well as point to current projects in innovative care.
Bio: Dr. Cirillo-Penn is focused on the open surgical and endovascular treatment of aneurysms, dissections of the aorta, including complex abdominal, thoracoabdominal and aortic arch aneurysm. He is also interested in aortic hemodynamics and device design. Dr. Cirillo-Penn is a committed academic surgeon with a passion for aortic and mesenteric research as well as the education of future vascular surgeons. Dr. Cirillo-Penn received multiple honors, including the D. Emerick Szilagyi Award for Most Outstanding Clinical Research from the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society, the Peter Gloviczki, M.D. Research and Academic Award, and the 2022–2023 Clinical and Teaching Award—both presented by the Mayo Clinic Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, and the reviewer of the year for the Journal of Vascular Surgery: Cases, Innovations, and Techniques in 2024. He is an investigator on multiple national randomized controlled trials and industry device trials.
Javier Navarro, PhD
Assistant Professor
Visible Heart Laboratories
Department of Surgery
University of Minnesota
"Utility of 3D-printed Models for Pre-operative Planning of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms"
Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) presents a complex and challenging arterial pathology for vascular surgeons. We present a series of cases with patient with TAAA, for whom a customized thoracoabdominal aortic segment model was 3D printed for preprocedural planning and stent graft personalization. The aim was to explore the use of 3D printing in the field of vascular surgery, simulating a stent-graft implantation in a custom model before surgery, and validate the impact of the technology on cost-consequence scenarios. From the patients’ computed tomography images, a 3D digital reconstruction of the aorta was generated by our engineering team and validated with a cardiac imaging physician (Mimics Innovation Suite, Materialise). Then, at the 3D Printing Center of the Fundación Cardioinfantil, the anatomical models were printed using a flexible material (Agilus30, Stratasys) and employed in a preoperative demonstration with the stent-graft device as needed. A cost–utility analysis was performed to compare 3D printing–assisted planning with conventional planning for AAA procedures. Clinical outcomes collected included operative time, estimated blood loss, intraoperative complications (ClassIntra V1.0), postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo classification), length of hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, readmissions within 3 months, and need for reintervention. Direct procedural costs and variations in intraoperative resource utilization were also studiedl, to determine whether 3D-assisted planning provides additional value relative to conventional preoperative planning. For the hospital, 3D printing allowed for preoperative practice and planning procedures using new medical devices, with the advantage of using the patient's real anatomy.
Bio: Javier Navarro Rueda is an Assistant Professor for the Visible Heart Laboratories in the Department of Surgery, at the University of Minnesota. He earned his Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and his MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia), and then his PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Maryland (MD, USA) as a Fulbright Fellow. His postdoctoral training included research at the University of Rochester (NY, USA) on the scarless-to-scarred wound healing transition in embryo animal models; the research program for the diagnosis, training, logistics, education, organization and monitoring of patients with congenital heart disease at Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia); and the design, development, and consolidation of a clinic-driven 3D technology center to provide clinicians, patients, and researchers with computational modeling, simulation, and 3D printed models to be used in complex surgical planning, practice, and decision-making at Fundación Cardioinfantil - Instituto de Cardiología (Bogotá, Colombia). He has been a researcher, teacher, and advisor at Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia), University of Maryland (MD, USA), University of Rochester (NY, USA), and Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia), where he also served as Director for the Mechanical Engineering Program.