A new vision for vascular disease

(Report to Contributors, December 2014)

Ben is improving the surgical treatment options for blood vessel disorders while strengthening Harborview’s reputation as a leader in clinical research. 

During three tours as a U.S. Army surgeon in Kosovo and Iraq, Dr. Ben Starnes operated on patients in extremely resource-limited environments. In those settings, he had to find creative ways to provide modern, minimally invasive treatments to soldiers with serious traumatic injury.

A vascular surgeon by specialty, Ben envisioned a number of surgical inventions while on the battlefield. At Harborview Medical Center, he is putting his ideas to the test.

“It is amazing to be in this world-class trauma center where we have the resources to conduct so many clinical trials to advance treatment methods,” says Ben.

Since coming to Harborview in 2007, Ben has led multiple research projects focused on blood vessel diseases and trauma. One procedure he pioneered can treat the bulging artery of an aneurysm without an open-chest operation. The technique involves the insertion of a personally fitted stent graft, or tube, into the patient’s endangered artery. Its clinical trials have shown highly successful outcomes.

Former patient Matthew Endicott experienced this procedure firsthand. In 2013, Matthew had a potentially fatal tear in his aorta that qualified him for the trial. Ben’s treatment spared Matthew the long-term complications that can result from traditional, higher-risk surgery. Today, Matthew is doing very well.

“I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Starnes and his team,” says Matthew’s mother Greta Sedlock. “He ensured Matthew and I understood what the clinical trial entailed, and he was so compassionate.”

To show her appreciation, Greta created the Matthew Endicott Fund for Dr. Benjamin Starnes. Ben and his colleagues used the funding to support 13 vascular research projects, seven of which were accepted at a recent conference. Given the continued risks associated with standard surgical methods for vascular diseases, the need for such research remains strong.

“Gifts like Greta’s are so powerful,” says Ben. “They allow us to build on our efforts to save more lives.”