What is vascular surgery?
Vascular surgery refers to procedures treating your arteries and veins. Dr. Chadda may perform minimally invasive vascular surgery by making a small incision to access a blood vessel. For example, he may open the carotid artery to remove a blockage or the aorta to bypass an aneurysm.
Whenever possible, he performs endovascular surgery, a technique using a tiny cut that’s just large enough to insert a catheter (long, flexible tube) into a blood vessel. The catheter comes equipped with an array of instruments that treat vascular conditions from inside the blood vessel.
What conditions are treated with vascular surgery?
The artery and vein conditions frequently treated with endovascular surgery include:
- Atherosclerosis (cholesterol plaque builds up on the artery wall)
- Chronic venous insufficiency (failed venous valves affect normal blood flow)
- Aortic aneurysm (weak, bulging area in the aorta)
- Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in your legs)
Without treatment, these vascular problems can lead to serious complications, including non-healing leg ulcers and life-threatening events like heart attacks, strokes, aortic ruptures, and a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot breaks free and travels to your lungs).
What vascular surgery procedures might I need?
During vascular surgery, Dr. Chadda uses real-time X-ray imaging to see your blood vessels and the catheter. He guides the catheter through the vessels to the problem area and deploys the necessary instrument.
Dr. Chadda frequently performs the following endovascular procedures:
Angioplasty and stenting
Using a balloon catheter, Dr. Chadda restores circulation by inflating a balloon to push atherosclerotic plaque against the blood vessel wall. Then he inserts a mesh stent (tube-shaped device) that stays in the artery and holds the artery open.
Atherectomy
Dr. Chadda removes plaque that’s too hard for a balloon using a catheter equipped with a rotating blade or grinding device.
Endovascular repair of aortic aneurysm
Aortic aneurysms are repaired using a specialized stent (soft, flexible tube) placed into the artery. The stent covers and strengthens the weak area and stops blood from flowing into the bulge.
Thrombolysis
After guiding a catheter to a blood clot, Dr. Chadda releases medications that dissolve the clot.
Endovenous ablation and sealing
Dr. Chadda treats varicose veins using Medtronic's ClosureFast™ or VenaSeal™. These endovenous procedures use radiofrequency energy (ablation) and a medical-grade adhesive respectively to close diseased veins.
To learn more about advanced vascular surgery or schedule an appointment, call Advanced Heart & Vascular Associates or book online today.
