Wellstar Patient Thanks Her Care Team with Original Artwork

Wellstar’s Comprehensive Aortic Program has identified thousands of hidden aneurysms in the past two years. The goal of the program is to help people before their conditions become life-threatening.

Aortic aneurysms are bulges in the body’s largest blood vessel. They can burst and cause severe damage or death if they become too big. Unfortunately, most people never know they have one because they are typically asymptomatic until they rupture.

However, the aortic experts at Wellstar found a way to help people before they have an emergency.

“When patients have CT scans at Wellstar for other reasons, we use artificial intelligence (AI) to sift through them and find images of someone who may have aneurysm,” said Wellstar Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. James Ryan Burke. “That allows us to proactively contact them and bring them in if appropriate for evaluation to discuss that diagnosis.”

Since the program launch in July 2022, more than 4,700 people with aneurysms have been placed under surveillance—a protocol to monitor people who have a risk. Surveillance allows people to avoid undergoing unnecessary surgery but to know when the aneurysm grows larger and becomes a greater concern.

For people who had large, potentially life-threatening aneurysms, cardiovascular surgeons and vascular surgeons performed more than 700 advanced procedures at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center since the program began.

“These are major cardiac operations only performed in centers that offer complex aortic surgery,” Dr. Burke said. “The outcomes are best when done in experienced centers that do a high volume of procedures, like Wellstar Kennestone.”

Patient-centered aortic care

“This program is very patient-oriented. We have an excellent team of dedicated physicians at Wellstar to accomplish our mission and I think it’s very beneficial for both patients and physicians,” said Dr. Michael Corey of Vascular Surgical Associates.

The aortic program at Wellstar provides a higher level of aortic care than a patient would typically find in a local hospital. What makes the program unique is:

• The multispecialty team of aortic experts working together
• The cutting-edge AI technology used to identify patients who are unaware they have an aneurysm
• A high-tech hybrid operating room (OR) for open or minimally invasive procedures
• The latest surgical techniques and technology
• A high volume of procedures performed

“The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It runs from the heart, through the chest and abdomen and down to the legs,” said Dr. Burke. “When you have a disease process involving the aorta, it requires multiple specialties.”

Wellstar’s specialized aortic team includes cardiovascular surgeons, vascular surgeons, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, radiologists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

There is also a cardiac hybrid OR that brings a catheterization lab and surgery suite together in one space, making aortic aneurysm treatment more efficient and encouraging collaboration between our expert providers.

“The hybrid OR is a state-of-the-art, innovative, open operating room where patients can receive complex aortic reconstructions—procedures that have open surgery components to them—as well as endovascular (or minimally invasive) aortic reconstructions. This all can take place in one nice operating room,” Dr. Corey said.

The aortic program is part of a larger heart care program at Wellstar, based at Wellstar Kennestone, the first in Georgia and the fourth in the nation to receive Comprehensive Cardiac Care Center Certification by The Joint Commission and American Heart Association. This is the highest certification in cardiovascular care.

Learn more or schedule an appointment with an aortic disease specialist.

Innovative technology at Wellstar is offering patients a minimally invasive option for lung biopsies, reducing complications and helping expedite lung cancer treatment.

The Ion system is a robotic-assisted platform for performing lung biopsies. If a lung cancer screening or any other CT scan shows a suspicious nodule, providers will need to perform a biopsy to determine if the patient has lung cancer and how to proceed with care.

“Those nodules may not be cancer, but in certain situations we still need to know what it is,” said Wellstar Pulmonologist Dr. Timothy Udoji. “The Ion technology helps us biopsy those nodules to get an answer so that additional workup can be done immediately. If it is cancer, we want to catch it at an early stage.”

The system uses a three-dimensional spatial recognition technology that helps guide a catheter down the airway, deep into the lung, all the way to small nodules where biopsies can be performed. The robotic catheter maintains its shape and stability throughout the biopsy process significantly improving diagnostic yield compared to other modalities.

“The better the image and the more certainty we have of the spatial location of the catheter, the better we can avoid complications by making sure we are not too close to a blood vessel or the edge of the lung,” said Wellstar Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Daniel Fortes.

During the biopsy, providers can also use the Ion system to mark an area in the lung, making it easier to find later during surgery.

“If something is very small and hard to find in surgery, Ion can be used to mark that area with dye, or contrast, that allows us to find it in surgery,” Dr. Fortes said. “With this technology added to the surgical robotic system in the operating room, we can better identify those lesions and remove smaller portions of lung, also called segments.”

Technology to help provide peace of mind

The Ion system also has further reach than previous technologies and is able to more easily biopsy nodules in the peripheral areas of the lung. For many cancer patients, this will allow them to initiate care earlier and improve their outcomes, as well as give them peace of mind during the treatment process.

“Mental health impacts physical health. We are able to confidently biopsy and identify these nodules and that means a lot for our patients,” Dr. Udoji said. “Now, with this new technology we are able to get a biopsy done much earlier which has huge outcome implications for malignant nodules.”

At Wellstar, cancer care is tailored for each patient. In the Wellstar STAT Clinic for Lung Cancer, patients meet with multiple specialists at once to discuss their care options and create a personalized treatment plan. Specialists in the STAT Clinics, which are located at Wellstar Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone Regional, North Fulton and Paulding medical centers, work with patients to determine the optimal course of treatment and will talk with patients and families about biopsy options, including the Ion system. The STAT Clinics give patients the opportunity to have their diagnoses managed right away, and literature shows that the clinics’ diagnostic and treatment model improves outcomes for patients.

The Ion system is currently in use at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, where the team has completed 500 procedures. Learn more about lung cancer care at wellstar.org/lungcancer.

Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. It can develop in adults, often due to changes in the spine, such as disc degeneration, arthritis or osteoporosis. While many adults with scoliosis may not need treatment, surgery may be necessary in severe cases where the curve causes significant pain, limits movement or leads to deformity.

This type of surgery, called spinal deformity correction, is a complex procedure performed by a neurosurgeon. The goal is to realign the spine from the neck to the hips, both front-to-back and side-to-side. Dr. Ben Zussman, a Wellstar neurosurgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, is one of the few specialists in Georgia who performs this life-changing surgery.

When scoliosis surgery is recommended

“Adult degenerative scoliosis often develops slowly, causing someone with a previously straight spine to become increasingly crooked,” Dr. Zussman explained. 
Common signs that might lead to considering surgery include:

• Uneven shoulders or waistline
• Protruding shoulder blades
• A hump on the back
• Severe low back pain or leg pain
• Leg weakness
• Stooped posture

These symptoms occur because the spine's unnatural curve forces the body to adjust, which can change posture and make it hard to stay upright. “Without a good center of gravity, your body begins to lean, which is exhausting,” says Dr. Zussman. When pain and limited mobility significantly affect daily life, scoliosis surgery can help improve movement and quality of life.

Moving forward with treatment

By age 50, Cynthia Clark’s spine had become so crooked that she could no longer stand upright. A CT scan taken just eight years earlier showed a straight spine, but degenerative scoliosis had progressed quickly, causing intense pain and difficulty walking.



Dr. Zussman offered Cynthia surgery to relieve her severe symptoms, explaining the complexity and long recovery process. Although she was nervous, Cynthia reached a point where she felt she couldn’t continue living in such pain.

Before surgery, Dr. Zussman referred her to an endocrinologist to strengthen her bones, ensuring she was physically and mentally prepared. When she was ready, Cynthia underwent the procedure.

Undergoing complex spinal surgery

Cynthia’s surgery was extensive, lasting eight hours and involving a long incision down her back. Dr. Zussman used advanced imaging techniques to guide the placement of 17 levels of screws with precision. He removed damaged discs and relieved pressure from pinched nerves. The screws were then connected by long, strong rods to realign her spine, restoring its shape and function.



Post-operative X-rays show Cynthia standing up straight. The screws, rods and spacers help to brace her skeleton internally and maintain her posture.

Recovery is ‘like a miracle’

Cynthia’s recovery was remarkable. She began walking within two days after surgery—far surpassing expectations. Her quick progress allowed her to be discharged without needing inpatient rehab, and she completed a shorter-than-usual course of outpatient therapy.

“Cynthia now walks completely straight without a cane,” said Dr. Zussman. “Even people at her grocery store notice the drastic difference and give her hugs.”

Cynthia credits Dr. Zussman and his team with giving her life back. “I’m so happy I can move and do stairs—it’s like a miracle,” she shared.

Life-changing scoliosis surgery

Wellstar’s neurosurgery team addresses complex brain and spine conditions, including adult spinal deformity. In severe cases, scoliosis correction surgery requires a dedicated team of 10 to 15 medical professionals working together to realign the spine.

“This type of surgery can be totally life-changing,” Dr. Zussman shared.

Only a few neurosurgeons in Georgia perform this extensive surgery. Wellstar offers this advanced level of scoliosis care at Wellstar Cobb Medical Center, Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center and Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. Reach out to a location near you to schedule an appointment:

• Neurosurgery in Austell
• Neurosurgery in Marietta
• Neurosurgery in Roswell
• Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Augusta 

Learn more about spine surgery at Wellstar.