Pioneering Vascular Surgery Procedures
A procedure is called pioneering when it is performed for the first time in a country, or with a technique that has not been used there before. Theodosios Bisdas, Associate Professor of Vascular Surgery and Director of the 3rd Vascular Surgery Department of the Athens Medical Center, has performed a series of first procedures in Greece, Cyprus and North Macedonia, in the fields of endovascular surgery of the aortic arch, thrombectomy and atherectomy.
Modern vascular surgery is developing rapidly - and access for Greek patients to the newest techniques depends on the surgeons who bring them to the country first. Below are the pioneering procedures performed by Theodosios Bisdas.
First in Greece: Nexus Duo endograft for the aortic arch
First endovascular repair in Greece of an aortic arch aneurysm following chronic type A dissection with the branched endograft Nexus Duo, in the hybrid operating room of the Athens Medical Center - without sternotomy and without cardiopulmonary bypass. The technique offers a solution for patients with Aortic arch aneurysm who cannot undergo open surgery.
First in Greece: Thrombus aspiration with the Indigo 12F catheter (Penumbra)
First use in Greece of the Penumbra Indigo 12F thrombus aspiration catheter in a patient with acute lower limb ischaemia, in the hybrid operating room of the Athens Medical Center. Large-bore mechanical thrombectomy allows the immediate removal of the thrombus from the arteries without open surgery and without prolonged thrombolysis.
First in Greece: Atherectomy with the Phoenix catheter (Philips)
First use in Greece of the Phoenix endovascular atherosclerotic plaque removal catheter (Philips) in a patient with peripheral arterial disease, in the hybrid operating room of the Athens Medical Center. The atherectomy removes the plaque from inside the artery, restoring flow without implanting a stent where that is preferable.
First in Cyprus: Nexus TRE endograft
First endovascular repair in Cyprus of an aortic arch aneurysm following chronic type A dissection with the Nexus TRE endograft, in the hybrid operating room of the Aretaieio Hospital in Nicosia.
First in North Macedonia: Nexus endograft
First endovascular placement in Skopje of the Nexus graft for the treatment of an aortic arch aneurysm.
International recognition
Theodosios Bisdas is a regular speaker at LINC (Leipzig Interventional Course), one of the most important international conferences in endovascular surgery: in 2024 with a talk on the endovascular treatment of complex aortic aneurysms and peripheral arterial disease, and in 2025 with a talk on robotic vascular surgery. See the full View Profile.
What these firsts mean for the patient
First applications of new techniques are not just titles - they mean that the patient has access to treatments that are not yet available elsewhere, from a surgeon trained in them and from a centre with the necessary infrastructure, such as the IGS7 hybrid operating room of the Athens Medical Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Theodosios Bisdas performed pioneering procedures in Greece?
Yes. Theodosios Bisdas has performed a series of first-ever procedures. In Greece he carried out the first endovascular repair of an aortic arch aneurysm with the Nexus Duo endograft. He was also the first in Greece to use the Indigo 12F thrombus aspiration catheter (Penumbra) and the Phoenix atherectomy catheter (Philips). He performed the first implantations of the Nexus system in Cyprus and North Macedonia.
Where are the procedures performed?
The procedures are performed in the IGS7 hybrid operating room (GE Healthcare) of the Athens Medical Center, where Theodosios Bisdas directs the 3rd Vascular Surgery Department.
For an appointment or Second Opinion, contact the practice.
