Vascular Surgery

Vascular surgery refers to the use of surgical techniques—where incisions are made in the body—to diagnose and treat disorders and abnormalities involving the blood vessels outside of the heart. The 11 vascular surgeons on our medical staff are experienced in advanced vascular techniques.

Our department has been nationally recognized as a leader in the vascular field. Some of the most common clinical conditions we treat are aneurysms of the aorta and peripheral arteries, arterial blockage of the arms, legs, kidneys and other blood vessels, and disorders of the venous system. Many of the surgeries we perform are endovascular, meaning they are minimally invasive, usually require less recovery time, and generally have fewer potential complications. Our number one priority is to make you and your family's experience with us as smooth and as comfortable as possible, while starting you on the path to recovery.

We provide a full range of vascular surgery services, including:

• Aneurysm repair. An aneurysm is an abnormally widened and weakened section of a blood vessel wall that often forms in the aorta, the body's largest artery that runs from the heart through the chest and down into the abdomen. To prevent hemorrhage, or the sudden escape of blood when an aneurysm tears or bursts, the physicians on our medical staff can surgically repair or remove the aneurysm.
• Aortic and thoracic endografts. These are slender fabric tubes that are usually used to reinforce or strengthen weak areas (aneurysms) in the aorta and thoracic artery. The vascular surgeons on our medical staff place the endografts by inserting a catheter into the artery via a small incision. Once the graft is in place (a relatively painless procedure), the catheter is removed.
• First rib resection. This is a treatment for thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), a condition where the enclosed space between the base of the neck and armpit has been narrowed. By removing the first rib, we are able to treat the TOS.
• Carotid stenting. Stents, slender metal-mesh tubes that fit inside an artery to keep it open and allow blood to flow past blockages, can be used in one of the two carotid arteries leading to the brain. We are often able to prevent stroke by doing so.
• Carotid endarterectomy. Atherosclerotic plaque buildup in the carotid arteries can block blood flow to the brain or can break off into small floating particles that can result in transient ischemic attack (TIA, or mini-stroke) or permanent stroke. Carotid endarterectomy is the surgical removal of the inner lining of a carotid artery that contains plaque deposits.
• Lower extremity bypass surgery and stenting. As with the arm, if a portion of an artery in the leg is narrowed or blocked, we perform surgical bypass. A stent to help keep the artery open is then placed.
• Thrombolysis. During thrombolysis, abnormal clots in blood vessels are broken up with small devices or clot-dissolving medications.
• Upper extremity bypass surgery and stenting. We perform surgical bypass to improve blood flow by creating a detour around a portion of an artery in the arm that is narrowed or blocked. We then place a stent to help keep the artery open.
• AV Loop. An arteriovenous loop is created when the surgeon connects an artery to a vein; it is used to promote vascular growth.
• Balloon angioplasty and stent placement. This treatment is a minimally invasive catheter-based technique to widen narrowed arteries and insert stents to keep them open.
• Amputation. Always a last resort, amputation is the surgical removal of a body part, usually due to irreversible vascular disease in a limb.