David Kuwayama, MD, MPA, is the director of Aortic Surgery in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. He specializes in novel and minimally invasive treatments for aortic disease, including aneurysms and dissections.
“Aortic surgery has evolved to focus on minimally invasive technologies, ideally to fix aneurysms before they rupture,” Dr. Kuwayama says. “With new techniques, we can treat extensive, complex aneurysms that, previously, were only fixable with major invasive operations.”
One such technique, in which Dr. Kuwayama specializes, is a procedure called fenestrated aortic endografting. During this minimally invasive procedure, a tube-shaped graft (made of fabric supported by metal stents) is custom modified for a patient’s unique aortic anatomy, fixing the aneurysm while also maintaining blood flow where it is needed.
Through an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Kuwayama is one of a handful of physicians in the country authorized to custom-build fenestrated endografts. “This technology has been a game-changer. It allows us to fix very challenging aneurysms that wouldn’t have been considered fixable in the past, often with just needle pokes,” he says.
In his aortic role, Dr. Kuwayama collaborates closely with colleagues from other disciplines at Yale, including cardiothoracic surgeons and cardiologists. “Bringing together a multidisciplinary team, we can really ensure that all the brightest minds at Yale are working together to do the best thing for each of our patients. It’s the right way–and the only way–to do it,” he says.
Growing up as the son of a pediatrician, Dr. Kuwayama always knew he wanted to become a physician. “I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my father, who inspired me,” he says. “But I was drawn to surgery because the idea of repairing the human body totally fascinated me.”
As a resident at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Kuwayama first planned to become a trauma surgeon, to help people in their moment of greatest need. “But I quickly learned that the most dangerous injuries were the vascular ones. Stopping the bleeding was always the top priority,” he says. His career path switched. “When an aorta ruptures, it can be just like a gunshot wound. Working quickly and confidently can make all the difference.”
