A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of the Rapidlink Device When Used in Patients Undergoing an Open Surgical Procedure to Repair the Aorta

The Goal of this Clinical Study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Rapidlink device in the repair or replacement of the supra-aortic vessels during open surgical repair of aortic disease affecting the thoracic aorta. This study will collect information on patients who are already having surgery to repair their aorta and who will have Rapidlink device implanted into one or more of the aortic arch vessels. The first 32 subjects enrolled will undergo left subclavian artery repair or replacement, only, with the Rapidlink device. After the 32nd subject, enrollment will proceed to include subjects undergoing any supra-aortic vessel (i.e., left subclavian artery, left common carotid artery, and/or innominate artery) repair or replacement with the Rapidlink device in a planned surgery. After the 32nd subject is enrolled in the main group, up to 30 subjects will undergo supra-aortic vessel (i.e., left subclavian artery, left common carotid artery, and/or innominate artery) repair or replacement with the Rapidlink device in an emergency setting. Data will be collected before, during and after surgery including recovery at discharge, 30 days, 6 months, 1 and 2 years after the surgery.

Treatment options for pathologies involving the aortic arch include medical management, open surgical repair with vascular grafts (e.g., Gelweave), and frozen elephant trunk procedures (e.g., Thoraflex Hybrid). During conventional replacement of the aortic arch, branches from the main graft are anastomosed onto the transected main arch vessels. In some circumstances this can be difficult for the surgeon, particularly in the case of the left subclavian artery which can be deep routed and difficult to access due to patient anatomy. It can also be displaced by aneurysmal disease or be fragile and friable secondary to atherosclerotic change. An unmet need exists regarding the ability to access the supra-aortic vessels (e.g., left subclavian artery) in a timely manner during open surgical repair and to expedite the anastomosis to the arch while reducing the need to perform additional concomitant procedures (e.g., transposition or bypass of the left subclavian artery). The Rapidlink device is designed to simplify this process by enabling the surgeon to place a stented graft within the supra-aortic vessels and secure it, with minimal sutures and manipulation, in a timely manner during open surgical repair. This study will evaluate patients necessitating repair or replacement of the supra-aortic vessels (i.e., left subclavian artery, left common carotid artery, and/or innominate artery) during open surgical repair of aortic disease affecting the thoracic aorta in an elective (Primary Arm) or emergent (Emergent Arm) setting Up to 120 subjects will be recruited in the primary arm (elective setting).The first 32 subjects will undergo left subclavian artery repair or replacement with the Rapidlink device. After the 32nd subject with only the left subclavian artery repair or replacement with the Rapidlink device has been enrolled, enrollment will proceed to include subjects undergoing any supra-aortic vessel (i.e., left subclavian artery, left common carotid artery, and/or innominate artery) repair or replacement with the Rapidlink device in an elective setting. For the Emergent Arm, up to 30 subjects will undergo supra-aortic vessel (i.e., left subclavian artery, left common carotid artery, and/or innominate artery) repair or replacement with the Rapidlink device in an emergent setting. Enrollment into the Emergent Arm will begin after the 32ndsubject from the Primary Arm has been enrolled. Investigators are not allowed to enroll into the Emergent Arm until one elective case has been performed. It is anticipated that up to 150 patients will be recruited over a 12 month period (approximately). Patients will be evaluated at the following timepoints: Pre-procedure, Implant, Discharge/30 days, 3 months, 12 months and 24 months.