Services

Carotid Artery Disease

  • Carotid artery disease happens when plaques build up in the carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain and head. If pieces of these plaques break free, it can cause a stroke. If a very tiny artery is blocked, it can cause temporary symptoms known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA).

    • Sudden numbness or tingling on one side of the face, arm or leg

    • Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body or face

    • Trouble seeing in one or both eyes

    • Trouble speaking, including slurring or losing the ability to speak

  • To confirm a diagnosis, physicians conduct a physical exam, which includes listening to the carotid artery in the neck, ultrasound to examine blood flow, CT or MRA to check for stroke, or CT angiography or MR angiography which use contrast dye to check blood flow in the carotid arteries.

  • Carotid Endarterectomy Procedure

    While the patient is under anesthesia, surgeons make an incision in the neck at the location of the blockage. A tube is inserted above and below the blockage to reroute blood flow. Surgeons can then open the carotid artery and remove the plaque. Once the artery is stitched closed, the tube is removed. The surgeon may also use an alternate technique that does not require blood flow to be rerouted. In this procedure, the surgeon stops the blood flow long enough to peel the blockage away from the artery. Endarterectomy surgery is a treatment that has been proven safe and effective in providing long-term patient benefits.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

  • An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the lower part of the body’s main artery, the aorta. If the bulge becomes too large, it can burst and cause an internal hemorrhage. Congenital abnormalities, infections, atherosclerosis or hypertension can lead to a weakening of the blood vessel wall, allowing an aneurysm to develop. Lifestyle habits, such as smoking and a poor diet can also be contributing factors.

  • Physical exam results will often be normal, and patients may be asymptomatic; however, symptoms can include

    • Back, chest, or abdominal pain

    • Hoarseness, wheezing and difficulty swallowing

    • Hypotension (low blood pressure), tachycardia (fast heartbeat), and shock if the aneurysm ruptures

  • To confirm a diagnosis, physicians may use blood work, contrast-enhanced CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), contrast angiography, chest radiography, transesophageal echocardiography or an electrocardiogram.

  • Endovascular Repair

    In this procedure, your vascular surgeon inserts catheters into an artery in your groin, guides them to the blockage and places a stent. The surgeon will watch the procedure on a video screen to ensure proper placement of the stent. Once in place, the stent will allow blood to flow through, keep the artery open and prevent additional pressure on the damaged artery walls, thus preventing the aneurysm from rupturing. Patients recover more quickly with this procedure than with an open aneurysm repair. Post-operatively, it’s important for patients to have regular check-ups to ensure that the stent is in the proper position and functioning correctly.

    Open Aneurysm Repair

    An open aneurysm repair requires your surgeon to make an incision in your chest or abdomen, where a graft will be inserted into the aorta at the aneurysm site. The graft is a fabric tube that allows blood to flow through but protects the damaged arterial walls from pressure.

Varicose Veins

  • Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins close to the surface of the skin. They usually develop in the legs and above the ankles.

    • Pain, itching and burning

    • Leg aching or heaviness

    • Muscle fatigue

    • Restlessness leg syndrome

    • Leg cramping while asleep.

    If untreated, varicose veins can become worse over time. In some cases, untreated venous disease can lead to serious complications such as blood clots, spontaneous bleeding from the dilated vein, and/or skin ulcerations around the ankle.

  • To determine if the valves in the vein are damaged and not working properly, a painless non-invasive ultrasound test is performed. With the ultrasound device, the physician can watch the direction of the blood flow and see if the valves are allowing ‘reflux’ or backflow, indicating a damaged valve. Once the cause of the varicose vein is determined, then a proper course of treatment can be prescribed.

  • Laser – VenaCure EVLT™

    In laser vein treatment, a thin fiber is inserted into the damaged vein. A laser light is emitted through the fiber, causing the vein to close and seal shut. The blood is automatically routed to other veins. After treatment, the appearance of the abnormal vein is instantly improved with minimal to no scarring. Published clinical studies show that the VenaCure EVLT™ procedure has more than a 95% initial success rate with excellent long-term results. Veins that have been treated are very unlikely to become varicose again.

    For more information about the laser procedure, discover VENACure EVLT at www.angiodynamics.com.

    VNUS Closure® Procedure

    VNUS Closure® is a clinically proven, minimally invasive procedure that treats varicose veins and their underlying cause, venous reflux, with little or no pain. Closure® patients can walk away from the vein procedure and return to everyday activities, typically within a day. The VNUS Closure® procedure is performed on an outpatient basis.

    Using ultrasound, your physician will position the Closure® catheter into the diseased vein, through a small opening in the skin. The tiny catheter delivers radiofrequency (RF) energy to the vein wall. As the RF energy is delivered and the catheter is withdrawn, the vein wall is heated, causing the collagen in the wall to shrink and the vein to close. Once the diseased vein is closed, blood is re-routed to other healthy veins. Following the procedure, a simple bandage is placed over the insertion site, and additional compression may be provided to aid healing. Your doctor may encourage you to walk and to refrain from extended standing and strenuous activities for a period of time.

    Phlebectomy

    Phlebectomy is the surgical removal of any surface varicose veins that are left over after the VNUS Closure. Small incisions are made to pull the veins out with minimal to almost no scarring. This is done on an outpatient basis. Patients can resume ordinary activities within a day. With all procedures, support hose must be worn.

    Sclerotherapy

    Sclerotherapy is performed in the doctor’s office by one of our surgeons. A solution is injected through a very fine needle directly into the vein. At this point, you may experience mild discomfort and cramping for one to two minutes, especially when larger veins are injected. The procedure itself takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes. The number of veins injected in one session varies and depends on the size and location of the veins, as well as the general medical condition of the patient.

    Prior to the procedure, you will have an initial consultation with a vascular medicine specialist who will decide if you’re a good candidate for sclerotherapy. You are not eligible if you are pregnant or bedridden. You can have sclerotherapy if you take birth control pills. If you have had a blood clot in the past, your eligibility will be decided on an individual basis, and will depend on the overall health of the area needing treatment as well as the reason for the clot. Veins that are potentially usable for future surgical bypass procedures (e.g., use of the saphenous vein, a large vein in the leg used for coronary artery bypass graft surgery) will generally not be considered for sclerotherapy unless they are already deemed unusable.

    Sclerotherapy is one of the primary treatments of spider veins. Spider veins are usually blue or red in color. The blue veins are treated with a sclerosing agent which is injected into the small vessels of the skin. This irritates the cell wall causing it to collapse and disappear.

Peripheral Arterial Disease

  • Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a circulatory disorder characterized by narrowing of the blood vessels, usually in the legs. The condition is usually caused by atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque (fatty substances) along the inner wall of the arteries. It is very similar to coronary artery disease, except that a different region of the body is affected. Blood clots can also form and cause similar symptoms. The disease develops slowly for up to 20 years and usually begins without symptoms.

    Risk factors include:

    • High blood pressure

    • History of smoking

    • High cholesterol

    • Family history of heart disease

    • Physical inactivity

    • Diabetes

    • Obesity

    • Being older than age 55

    • Fatigue, numbness, pain or cramping in their calves, thighs or buttocks muscles during walking or other activities (claudication)

    • Coldness in the lower leg or foot

    • No pulse or weak pulse in legs or feet

    • Shiny skin on the legs

    • Sores on the lower extremities that won’t heal

  • Because the symptoms are similar to other diseases, it is necessary to have a doctor perform an ankle-brachial index (ABI) or ankle blood pressure measurement test to determine if you have PAD. ABI tests the quality of circulation in the legs by comparing the systolic blood pressure in the ankle to the systolic blood pressure in the arm. Physicians may also use ultrasound or angiography to check blood flow or look for blockages.

  • Medication, exercise, quitting smoking, and other therapies may help patients with occasional symptoms and intermittent claudication.

    Angioplasty

    For relatively small blockages, angioplasty is often an effective treatment. A catheter with a balloon device attached is inserted in the arteries, and the balloon is inflated to stretch open the narrowed artery. This allows blood to flow more easily through the artery throughout the leg or other extremity. A stent (a small metal cage device) may be placed in the artery to help keep the vessel open once the balloon is removed. These procedures can be done as an outpatient.

    Surgical Bypass

    When angioplasty and stent placement cannot be done, a surgical bypass of the blockage is another option. The bypass may be a vein from your own body (usually the leg) or made of synthetic material. The surgeon attaches the graft to the diseased artery on either side of the blocked area. This creates a new channel through which the blood can flow and allows oxygenated blood to travel to the leg and foot below the blockage, thus reducing or eliminating the pain associated with PAD in addition to amputation risk. Recovery following a surgical revascularization usually includes about one week in the hospital. Since this is a relatively invasive procedure, full recovery may take six to eight weeks.

Screenings

  • Screening ultrasounds help you and your doctor determine your risk for stroke, abdominal aneurysm and other peripheral vascular disease.

  • We offer three types of screenings that check for different types of peripheral vascular disease.

    • Leg Arterial Ultrasound: Checks for poor circulation in the legs.

    • Carotid Ultrasound: Checks for inadequate blood flow to the brain.

    • Abdominal Ultrasound: Looks for abdominal aortic aneurysms.

    • You are over age 50

    • You have ever smoked

    • You have a family history of heart disease or diabetes

    The tests are quick and painless. All three screenings can be performed in 30 minutes. A physician referral is not required, but your doctor will receive your results.

  • Screenings are not covered by insurance and are payable on the day tests are performed.

    $50 per test or $130 for all three