04/10/2017
For healthy arteries and veins trust the experts in vascular surgery, right here on the Seacoast. Wentworth-Douglass Hospital’s expert vascular surgeons are trained to manage all aspects of your vascular health, using both medical management and the most innovative minimally invasive and open vascular surgery techniques.
Vascular surgeons care for the health of veins and arteries in every part of the body except for the brain and the heart. Vascular conditions they treat can include carotid artery disease/stroke prevention, artery blockages, aneurysm disease, peripheral artery disease and vein problems.
The vascular system is the “highway” of the body. Its network of arteries and veins carry blood to nourish organs and cells with oxygen and nutrients. Plaque can build up in the walls of the arteries, making it harder for blood to flow through. When these blockages are in the carotid artery of the neck, they can cause strokes. When they occur in the legs, it can cause leg pain, foot ulcers, and sometimes lead to amputation.
Preventing vascular disease is your best defense. Treating high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol greatly reduces your chance of developing vascular disease. People who smoke, have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes, or have a family history are often at an increased risk.
Vascular surgeons treat the whole patient, helping to manage their overall vascular health, making sure they are on the right medications, and helping them understand all their treatment options. The vascular surgery team at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and Wentworth Health Partners Vascular Surgery has extensive experience in diagnosing and providing the leading treatments for many vascular conditions, including abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), carotid artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, aortic and peripheral aneurysms, varicose veins and many others.
There are many vascular surgery options, including minimally invasive options that can successfully treat many vascular conditions.
“Vascular surgeons can offer the full spectrum of endovascular treatments and vascular surgery,” says Dr. James Estes, vascular surgeon at the Wentworth-Douglass Center for Vascular Surgery “We are trained in open surgical procedures, and we can couple that with catheter techniques.”
Vascular surgery options available at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital include:
Peripheral Vascular Intervention (PVI)
These minimally invasive procedures, including angioplasty, stent placement, and atherectomy, require a small puncture hole for catheter access, usually in the arm or leg, to remove plaque and restore the flow of blood through the artery.
Endovascular Therapies
These minimally invasive treatments offer an alternative to conventional vascular surgery, especially for abdominal aortic interventions and abdominal aneurysm (AAA) repair.
Open Vascular Surgery
Sometimes open vascular surgery is the best option for patients, including endarterectomy, peripheral bypass and open aneurysm repair, to open blood vessels and reroute blood flow around blockages.
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital recently opened a new, state-of-the-art Hybrid Operating Room for complex vascular surgery cases. The room’s sophisticated imaging system allows surgeons to use real-time, three-dimensional images to navigate the patient’s arteries and veins.
“This new technology allows us to now perform advanced minimally invasive aneurysm repairs and other endovascular therapies more effectively and with less risk of complications,” says Dr. Estes.
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital’s vascular specialists see patients in Dover and in Portsmouth at the Wentworth-Douglass Portsmouth Outpatient Center. To learn more or make an appointment, visit Wentworth Health Partners Cardiology or call 603-516-4265.