Vascular Surgery (veins and arteries)
At the Blank Vascular Center, board-certified vascular surgeons and a dedicated vascular surgery team specialize in using the latest techniques to treat vein and artery conditions. They are highly skilled in open surgery as well as less invasive methods.
To treat aortic aneurysm, our vascular surgeons may insert grafts, or synthetic tubes, into the aorta through open surgery. This repair enables Blank Vascular Center surgeons to open the aneurysm, remove any blood clots that may have formed, and sew the graft to the aorta.
When arteries are too severely blocked with fatty deposits, or plaque, for minimally invasive treatment, open vascular bypass surgery will be considered. Bypass surgery re-routes blood flow from above a blockage in an artery to below it. Usually a vein is used to create the bypass, but it is sometimes necessary to use a graft.
There are several different types of vascular bypass surgeries. Blank Vascular Center surgeons are highly experienced in each type:
- Aorto-bifemoral bypass
Blood is rerouted from the abdominal aorta to the femoral (thigh) arteries.
- Femoral popliteal bypass
Blood is rerouted from the femoral artery to the popliteal (knee region) artery
- Femoral tibial bypass
Blood is rerouted from the femoral artery to the tibial (lower leg) artery.
Our vascular surgeons perform carotid endarterectomy to open a blocked neck artery and remove obstructing plaque.
Vein removal is an outpatient procedure, conducted under anesthesia, for seriously affected varicose veins. It also is used to remedy chronic venous insufficiency.
For expertise on vascular surgery, contact the specialists at Abington’s Pilla Heart Center and Blank Vascular Center.
