Vascular Medicine & Surgery

Our approach to care

Our vascular surgeons diagnose and treat the full range of chronic and life-threatening blood vessel problems, including:

Vascular Disease Symptoms

Catching vascular problems early can improve pain and other problems — and help prevent serious conditions like heart attack, stroke and aneurysm. Common symptoms of vascular disease include:

Comprehensive options for vascular disease

Our vascular surgeons offer many types of treatment for blood vessel problems. These include medical treatments (nonsurgical care), surgical procedures and innovative “endovascular” procedures.

Vascular Surgery

Our specialists often treat or repair blood vessels using traditional “open” surgery. Procedures include:

• Aortic aneurysm repair. Your surgeon replaces the weak part of your aorta with a graft (tube) made of special fabric.
• Carotid endarterectomy. Your surgeon opens a carotid artery and removes the plaque that’s clogging it.
• Dialysis access surgery. Creates an access point for people with kidney failure, so they can connect to a dialysis machine. This access point is called an arteriovenous (AV) fistula or graft.
• First rib resection. Removes part of the first rib to reduce compression on the blood vessels and nerves in the thoracic outlet (the space behind and beneath the collarbone).
• Vascular bypass surgery. Creates a “bypass” (detour) that allows blood to flow around the blocked part of an artery.

Endovascular Surgery

Many of our vascular surgeons have advanced training in endovascular surgery. This means we can treat vascular conditions without cutting into the body. Instead, we guide catheters (hollow, flexible tubes) through the blood vessels. Once the catheter reaches the target area, we use it to perform or deliver treatments. These include:

• Angioplasty and stenting. We inflate a special balloon inside a narrowed artery, then insert a tiny tube (stent) to permanently prop it open.
• Endovascular/peripheral aneurysm repair (EVAR/PVAR). A type of stent procedure for people with abdominal aortic aneurysm or aortic dissection.
• Fistulagram with intervention. We use X-ray imaging to look for problems with blood flow through your dialysis access. If we find a blockage or narrowing, we’ll use catheters to fix it.
• Thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR). A type of stent procedure for people with thoracic aortic aneurysm.
• Thrombectomy. A special device captures and removes a blood clot.
• Thrombolysis. Injects medication to dissolve a blood clot.
• Transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR). Removes plaque from the carotid arteries without surgery.

Medical Treatments

In collaboration with other doctors, including wound care specialists, we offer nonsurgical care for people who have (or are at risk for) vascular disease. This includes patients who:

• Have open sores on the lower legs or feet
• Have swollen, painful leg veins
• Have had a limb amputation
• Do not yet require surgery, but need a vascular disease specialist to monitor their condition in case it worsens

Vascular Tests & Treatments

A team approach

Blood vessel problems may be a complication of other medical conditions, obesity, poor diet, lack of exercise or smoking.

Our vascular surgeons help you get your symptoms and conditions under control — and prevent life-threatening complications — by partnering with leading specialists throughout the Centra system.