Department Name

As reported on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, January 13, 2003, "bursting aneurysms in the abdomen and chest kill an estimated 18,000 Americans a year- more than AIDS or brain cancer, and four times as many- as cervical cancer" making this one of the "most neglected diseases in American history" as stated by M. David Tilson, MD, of Columbia University. In fact the faculty at the University of Florida even term aortic aneurysms "Cancer of the Aorta". Left untreated they continue to grow, at times invade other structures, and eventually are almost 100% lethal. It is for these reasons, that for over a decade, we in the division of Thoracic and cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Florida have specialized in all types of aortic diseases with an emphasis on thoracic (ascending, arch, descending), and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. It is also for these reasons that we have created a dedicated multispecialty /multidisciplinary team to deal with these problems; the University of Florida Aortic Surgery Team.

The primary mission of the University of Florida Aortic Surgery Team (U-FAST) is to provide rapid, cutting edge, quality medical and surgical care to all patients with known or suspected aortic disease that present to, or are referred to, the University of Florida. U-FAST consists of highly skilled and trained physicians (surgeons, intensive care specialists, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, and radiologists), nurses, physician assistants, and OR personnel. This group now routinely cares for over 200 such cases per year and have performed over 1000 aortic operations in the past decade making it one of the top programs in the country in terms of volume, as well as one of the largest referral centers for thoracic aortic diseases in the southeast. U- FAST team members are available 24/7 and Coordinate local, regional, and national, and international transfers (urgent and emergent) through Shands Hospital at the University of Florida, and our air transport service, Shandscare.

Special areas of expertise and research include acute and chronic dissections, aortic valve sparing procedures, transfemoral thoracic stent grafting, native aortic or prosthetic graft infections, brain and spinal cord protection during and following aortic operations, and patients with complex medical problems prior to surgery.

U-FAST members are dedicated to providing the best and most up to date care for patients with aortic disease and to becoming the most admired program in the country. The U-FAST team can be most easily reached via the consultation and transfer center @ 800-987-2673