Vascular Surgery

Arteries vs. Veins - What's the diference?

You have two kinds of blood vessels in your body. Arteries are large, strong blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart and lungs to the rest of your body. Veins carry blood back to your heart and lungs to pick up more oxygen.

What is a "dialysis access”?

A dialysis access or vascular access is a way to reach your blood for dialysis. There are 3 types of access available for patient’s to receive dialysis: A fistula (which uses the patient’s own vein), a graft (which uses a plastic tube beneath the skin), or a catheter (a plastic tube that projects out of the skin).

I hear about PAD on television, what is it?

PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease) is hardening of the arteries, most commonly in the legs that can cause pain with walking and possibly lead to infections and even limb loss if not treated.

What is an Aneurysm?

This is a thinning of the wall of an artery, most often the aorta (the main blood vessel in a yout abdomen) which causes a bulging and can potentially lead to rupture and significant bleeding. Many aneurysms can be fixed with a stent instead of a large surgery.

What if I need dialysis treatments and my new access isn’t ready?

A temporary catheter can be inserted in your chest to receive treatment until your access is ready to be used.

What is a DVT?

A DVT is a Deep Vein Thrombosis – more commonly referred to as a blood clot. They are most common in the legs, but can also develop in the arms. The affected extremity is usually very swollen and treatment is with blood thinners.

Where is the carotid artery and what does it do for me?

There are two carotid arteries, one on each side of the neck. They provide blood flow to the brain and if blocked can cause strokes. Blockages can be identified with an ultrasound of the neck and surgery can be performed to prevent stroke.

How are aneurysms detected?

A painless ultrasound of the abdomen is used to identify blood-filled dilations on weak blood vessels. Medicare is now covering screening for aneurysms as a benefit with enrollment.