FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 11, 2025) — W. L. Gore & Associates' medical business (Gore) today announced the first implantation of the investigational GORE® Ascending Stent Graft in the ARISE III Trial for the treatment of an acute Type A dissection. 

The implant was performed at Emory University by Brad Leshnower, MD, Site Principal Investigator and Director of Thoracic Aortic Surgery and Yazan Duwayri, MD, Study Investigator and Chief of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy. 

Addressing a Critical Gap in Patient Care

Eric Roselli, MD, National Principal Investigator and Chief of Adult Cardiac Surgery at Cleveland Clinic stated, “Ascending aortic dissection is a surgical emergency that presents serious risk to a complex group of patients and can be challenging to treat."

While open repair is the current standard, there are many patients who are not candidates for open surgery or are at high risk for surgery. Medical management of Type A dissections carries a rapidly escalating risk, with mortality increasing 0.5–1 percent per hour for the first two days,1,2 reaching 60 percent in-hospital mortality.¹

Dr. Roselli added, “The ARISE III study is designed to evaluate an endovascular option as a potential solution for high-risk patients with acute Type A dissection. This first implant in the pivotal trial is a vital step on the path toward expanding options for more patients.”

Dr. Leshnower, Site Principal Investigator at Emory and their Aortic Team are the first group to enroll in the ARISE III Pivotal Trial. “The ascending aorta presents a challenging environment for the use of endovascular devices due to the high blood flow rates and significant motion and angulation," remarked Dr. Leshnower, "The procedure went well, and the patient is recovering,” he continued. “Having a catheter-based solution where the patient does not have to be placed on cardiopulmonary bypass or circulatory arrest could change how we think about treating patients — and ultimately broaden treatment options for complex cases.”

About the ARISE III Clinical Trial

The ARISE III trial is a prospective, multicenter, non-randomized pivotal study approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assess the safety and effectiveness of the investigational GORE Ascending Stent Graft in patients with acute Type A aortic dissections who are considered high risk for conventional surgery. The study will enroll up to 112 patients at multiple centers across the United States. Each enrolled patient will be closely monitored throughout the study, with follow-up assessments conducted for up to five years to evaluate safety and effectiveness outcomes over the long term.