At Nazareth Hospital Vascular Center, vascular surgeons, cardiologists,
interventional radiologists and registered nurses take a team approach
to vascular care. They are highly experienced in the latest screening
and diagnostic procedures, advanced surgical techniques including
minimally invasive procedures, dialysis access procedures, and
customized rehabilitation.
Nazareth offers vascular disease management, helping patients learn how
to use medications and life style changes, such as smoking cessation,
diet and exercise, to control and manage vascular disease. Community
based education services and screenings are also offered free of charge
to the community.
Vascular Screening and Diagnostic Testing
Screening is an important first step to improved vascular health,
especially because many of the most severe disorders such as aortic
aneurysms have few if any symptoms. Testing is typically painless and
non-invasive. Nazareth Hospital Vascular Center’s broad range of
screening and non-invasive diagnostic tests include:
- Ankle-brachial index (ABI) – a test that measures
and compares the blood pressure in the arms and legs of a person in
order to identify any blood flow problems
- Carotid duplex scan – a type of ultrasound that is used to determine whether plaque or other matter is blocking blood flow in the carotid arteries
- Venous duplex scan – a type of ultrasound used to asses the blood flow in the legs
- Venous mapping – a type of ultrasound used to
identify a vein in the arm or leg that can be removed (harvested) and
used to bypass a diseased vein in the heart or legs
- Renal artery duplex – a type of ultrasound used to evaluate blood flow to the kidneys
Advanced Surgical Techniques
In addition to
minimally invasive endovascular procedures, Nazareth’s vascular team
performs open surgical procedures such as fem-pop by-pass, fem-fem
bypass, repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms and carotid endartarectomy.
Minimally Invasive Vascular Procedures
In the past, most patients with vascular problems were treated using
traditional surgical techniques, but today minimally invasive procedures
such angioplasty, stenting, and atherectomy are available to treat
patients with many forms of vascular disease.
Minimally invasive procedures involve only one or more small incisions and offer:
- Shortened recovery time
- Reduced risk of postoperative complications
- Reduced pain
- Less scarring
The greatest benefit has been in the elderly or patients with
increased surgical risk. These procedures are performed by a vascular
surgeon who threads a tiny, balloon-tipped hollow tube (catheter)
through a small incision, usually made in the groin, to the site where
the artery has narrowed. The balloon is inflated to clear the blockage.
The vascular surgeon may also use the balloon to expand a stent–-a tiny
mesh cylinder--within the wall of the artery to strengthen the blood
vessel.
