FAX: (763) 398-6051Vascular surgeons are specialists who treat diseases of the blood vessels outside of the heart. Only a vascular surgeon is able to offer both minimally invasive and open surgeries to treat vascular disease. Our surgeons offer each patient a tailored, streamlined and thorough treatment plan unique to each patients’ needs.
Aortic Repair
Aortic repair refers to the treatment of a thoracic aneurysm, abdominal aneurysm (AAA) or aortic dissection. All of these may be treated using endovascular( minimally invasive) or open surgical techniques. Roughly 30% of patients needing AAA repair will require open surgery. Most often times this is due to patient anatomy and condition. A vascular surgeon will determine which treatment is most appropriate for each patient. ( refer to min invasive for more info)
Endarterectomy
Endarterectomy is a surgical procedure that removes plaque from the artery wall that is causing a decrease or blockage of blood flow. Most commonly this is performed in the carotid artery in the neck, and the femoral artery in the leg.
Bypass
A bypass is a surgical procedure that redirects blood flow around an area of blockage by creating an alternative channel for blood flow thereby ’ bypassing’ an obstructed or damaged vessel. This is performed using a healthy section of the patient’s own vein or synthetic graft material. A bypass can be performed on the arteries of the abdomen, neck, arms, and legs.
Dialysis Access Creation and Management
A fistula is dialysis access created by using a patient’s own natural blood vessels connecting an artery to a vein. A graft is dialysis access created by using a tube made out of synthetic material placed under the skin to connect an artery and vein. ( see vascularphysicians.com/services for more info)
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome ( TOS)
TOS is a disorder that occurs when blood vessels or nerves in the space between your collarbone and your first rib are compressed.
Symptoms can include Discoloration of the hand, arm pain, and swelling, blood clot in the veins or arteries in the upper arm/chest, weak or no pulse in the affected arm, arm fatigue with activity, numbness or tingling in the fingers.
TOS is diagnosed by having an exam with one of our vascular physicians, in addition to angiography of the affected arm using provocative testing to elicit symptoms.
Treatment can include venous/arterial angioplasty, stent placement, and surgical 1st rib removal.
TransCarotid Artery Revascularization
TCAR has been clinically proven as a less-invasive alternative to carotid endarterectomy, a traditional open surgery performed to treat carotid artery disease. What’s unique about TCAR is it temporarily reverses the blood flow during the procedure, so that any small bits of plaque that may break off during the procedure are diverted away from the brain, preventing a stroke from happening. A stent is then placed inside the artery to stabilize the plaque and restore blood flow to the brain, which minimizes the risk of a future stroke.
TCAR is recommended for patients who are considered high risk for traditional surgery due to age, anatomic issues, and other medical conditions. A physician will determine if the TCAR procedure is right for a patient on a case-by-case basis based on his/her medical history and workup. Watch the video to learn more about TCAR.
Vascular Repair
This refers to repairing an injured blood vessel which can be related to trauma. Examples include repair of dissections ( aorta and leg arteries) and rupture of aneurysms. These types of repair can be managed using minimally invasive and open surgical techniques.