My Patient Journey
Gareth Owens
Patient Name
Gareth Owens
Lead Surgeon
Professor Aung Ye Oo
Product(s)
Gelsoft Plus, Gelweave
Condition
Acute Type B Aortic Dissection
Treatment
Open Repair
Aortic Dissection Awareness UK & Ireland
Gareth Owens
My name is Gareth Owens and in 2016 I had a acute type B aortic dissection. This is my story.
My name is Gareth Owens. It's a real privilege to be here at Terumo Aortic, where I've come for Patients Day.
My patient story is that I have Marfan Syndrome, and because of that, I lost my dad to an aortic dissection when I was 11 years old and he was 49. Back then there was nothing really that could be done for him in terms of no aortic grafts and no complex aortic surgery in this country.
When at the age of 50, I had the same aortic dissection, the same age, the world was a different place because of what has happened in terms of innovation with aortic products and aortic surgery.
I was in the pub, my legs folded from underneath me and I turned to my mate and said, call an ambulance, I've got Marfan Syndrome and I think I'm having an aortic dissection.
So I had an acute type B aortic dissection in 2016, in London. Just so you get a feeling for what that was like, it was like an invisible hand with long fingernails had been plunged into my chest and was ripping downwards from my shoulder to my groin. I was in extreme pain, very sudden onset.
I had to put my drink down. I was in the pub, my legs folded from underneath me and I turned to my mate and said, call an ambulance, I've got Marfan Syndrome and I think I'm having an aortic dissection.
And I was very fortunate that I knew what the signs and symptoms were, but I was equally fortunate that I was a mile away from the UK's leading specialist aortic center. I was taken to Barts, where the multi-disciplined team decided I needed a replacement of my descending aorta to manage the risk.
The first stage was my descending thoracic aorta was replaced with an open procedure and I have a Gelweave graft from Terumo Aortic replacing the top half of my descending thoracic aorta.
They would do that in two stages, so the first stage was my descending thoracic aorta was replaced with an open procedure and I have a Gelweave graft from Terumo Aortic replacing the top half of my descending thoracic aorta. It works perfectly and keeps me alive every minute of every day.
They tell me that all the blood in my body flows through that graft once a minute. That's how important that product is to me.
A year later, I had a very large abdominal aneurysm with the dissection running through it.
I went back in for another day long operation where my abdominal aorta and iliac arteries were replaced with a Terumo Aortic bifurcated Gelsoft graft and again, very major operation. It is functioning perfectly. I had no issues with perfusion to my legs, so my abdominal aorta and iliacs are also now made by Terumo Aortic.
I'm very proud to be a living walking advertisement for the products that you make here at Terumo Aortic. Also I’m very proud to be here today and see how those products are made. To meet somebody who was involved in making one of my grafts, that was a really special moment for me. So thank you, Jim, If you're watching, it was a pleasure to be here.
A year later, I had a very large abdominal aneurysm with the dissection running through it. I went back in for another day long operation where my abdominal aorta and iliac arteries were replaced with a Terumo Aortic bifurcated Gelsoft graft
I talked a little bit this morning about life after dissection. Clearly, you know, I had a great outcome for my aortic dissection and the difference between what the surgeons and Terumo Aortic did for me now compared to what was possible for my dad 40 years ago, is chalk and cheese.
You know, the world has moved on. This is 21st century cutting edge aortic medicine, aortic surgery, and I'm a beneficiary of that. I'm doing really well. But what concerned me was that I know that not everybody in the UK gets access to the same level of care that I received.
So after I recovered, I got together with some of the patients and we founded the National Patient Charity, which is called Aortic Dissection Awareness UK and Ireland, and we founded the Think Aorta Campaign to teach people how to make the diagnosis. And that's having a really positive impact on care for aortic dissection patients. We know that now in 2023 in the UK, 250 more patients a year are having surgery on their ascending aorta than were having it in 2014.
To meet somebody who was involved in making one of my grafts, that was a really special moment for me. So thank you, Jim, If you're watching,
And I sometimes like to picture those 250 people walking down the street because they've been given a chance at life by the surgeons and by your products at Terumo Aortic because that's a massive difference to make to society. And as one of those people, I'm just giving back to patients like me who need help, who need information.
And it's a real privilege for me to volunteer and lead, Think Aorta and the National Patient Charity and we have formed a strategic partnership with Terumo Aortic, with Erik and with Tarik, so that we can help as many people as possible who find themselves in the situation that I was in.
And I think, I say it's like a three legged stool. There's clinicians, there's industry and there's patients. And the three of us working closely together can provide the support that people at the most vulnerable time in their life really need. So that's what we're doing.
I'm so happy to be working Terumo Aotic to make a difference to the next generation of patients.
Thank you so much for what you all do.
Disclaimer
The content, discussion and opinions expressed on this page are those of the patient and may not be reflective of the approved indications for use of the device, which may also differ by region. Please consult eifu.terumoaortic.com for product indications, contraindications and warnings/precautions.
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