Vascular disease

Risk factors for vascular diseases

As you age, your risk of developing vascular diseases naturally increases. However, other factors may make you more susceptible to contracting these conditions earlier in life as well, including:

• Atherosclerosis
• Diabetes
• Family history of cardiovascular or heart disease
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Lack of exercise
• Obesity
• Smoking

Vascular disease prevention

Knowing your family history and proactively treating any existing conditions can help prevent you from developing a more significant vascular disease. While some factors may be out of your control, you can take preventative steps to support your cardiological health, including:

• Getting optimal physical activity
• Quitting smoking
• Taking antiplatelet medications (e.g., aspirin)

CLI care

An advanced form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), CLI typically causes extensive blockages in the arteries of the legs as they become narrow and reduce the flow of blood to your limbs. CLI can cause tissue damage and, in more severe cases, loss of limbs (amputation).

Signs of CLI in the lower extremities include:

• Cold or sensationless limbs
• Gangrene
• Lasting infections, sores or ulcers
• Persistent pain while resting
• Severe pain, numbness or burning

CLI risk factors

A few factors can increase your risk of being diagnosed with this condition, including:

• Age (men over 60 and women who are postmenopausal)
• Family history of cardiovascular disease
• High blood pressure or cholesterol
• Lack of exercise
• Obesity
• Smoking

CLI diagnosis and treatment

If you have symptoms or are at high risk because of your age, genetics or lifestyle, we can diagnose CLI using a computerized tomography (CT) scan or ultrasound to evaluate your blood flow. Depending on the severity of your condition, we prioritize saving your affected limbs by treating CLI with minimally invasive or surgical procedures and medications.

Our advanced treatment options include:

• Carotid endarterectomy
• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
• Leg artery bypass

Endovascular intervention for CLI

In addition to the CLI treatment options included above, endovascular intervention is also used by our surgeons to take limb-saving measures. This minimally invasive, catheter-based method allows access to the infected artery through the groin. After initially placing and inflating a small balloon in the artery to open it, we use a stent to keep the artery ajar and increase blood flow to your limb.

Another advanced procedure we offer is an atherectomy, an additional minimally invasive treatment that uses a tiny tool to remove plaque from the affected blood vessel. We offer several types of atherectomy, including:

• Atherectomy for blockages below the knee (BTK)
• Mechanical atherectomy
• Peripheral laser atherectomy
• Rotational atherectomy

Lymphedema

Chronic lymphedema is the abnormal accumulation of protein-rich fluid in the tissues that causes inflammation and fibrosis in the arms and legs. It happens when lymph, a fluid that contains white blood cells, builds up in the body’s soft tissues because your system is damaged or blocked.

Lymphedema diagnosis and treatment

Lymphedema is diagnosed by our vascular specialists through your medical history or physical exams of the legs or arms, as well as additional testing, which may include a CT scan.

Our teams treat lymphedema with complete decongestive therapy (CDT), including:

• Compression systems
• Instruction in self-care
• Manual lymph drainage
• Movement and exercise
• Skin and nail care

PVD

PVD is a blood circulation problem that causes blood vessels outside of the heart to become narrow, which can form blockages and lead to spasms. PAD, the most common form of PVD, is a circulatory condition where narrowing arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs.

PAD typically occurs in the legs, with symptoms including:

• A cold feeling on only one side
• Muscle cramping after movement
• Numbness or weakness
• Sores that won’t heal

These symptoms might subside after a period of rest but then return when you start walking or climbing stairs again.

PVD services

To diagnose PAD, our vein and vascular care teams may recommend undergoing an ankle-brachial index (ABI) or imaging test. An ultrasound — whether in the form of an arterial, carotid artery, renal artery or venous exam — can be another supplemental diagnosis method.

If we are able to confirm that you have this condition, our treatments can include any of the prescription drugs or procedures below:

• Aortic stenting
• Bypass surgery
• Cholesterol medication
• High blood pressure medication
• Peripheral angioplasty

Varicose veins

Varicose veins, or venous insufficiency, are conditions where the veins are inefficient in sending blood from the legs back to the heart. They appear as twisted, enlarged veins near the surface of the skin and are most common in the legs and ankles.

Valves in your deeper leg veins typically function to keep blood flowing back toward the heart so it doesn't collect in one place. But the valves in varicose veins are either damaged or missing. As a result, the veins stay filled with blood, even when you're standing.

Symptoms of varicose veins include:

• Aching or heaviness in your legs
• Blue or dark purple veins
• Bulging, itchy or twisted veins
• Discolored skin
• Lower leg burning or throbbing
• Pain after sitting or standing
• Swelling in your lower legs

Varicose vein diagnosis and treatment

We can visually inspect and diagnose varicose veins, as they're large and ropey and stick out above the surface of your legs. They are treated by a type of vascular surgery called ambulatory microphlebectomy, which removes the veins from the legs through tiny incisions.

Venous insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency is a long-term condition that occurs because a vein is partially blocked or blood is leaking around the valves of your veins.

Symptoms include:

• A tight feeling in your calves
• Brown-colored skin near the ankles
• Hard-to-treat leg ulcers
• Itchy, painful legs
• Pain when walking
• Swelling in your legs or ankles
• Varicose veins

Venous insufficiency diagnosis and treatment

Our registered vascular technologists perform an in-office ultrasound to diagnose venous insufficiency. Using sound waves to generate pictures of your veins, we can locate your issue, measure the size of the affected area and clearly see how your blood is flowing within them. We typically treat this condition with a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to cause your blocked veins to close in on themselves.