Vascular Care

Banner Heart Hospital has an extensive and comprehensive vascular program that includes one operating room dedicated to vascular and endovascular procedures and an additional vascular operating room expected to be complete in early 2010.

These operating rooms are equipped with all of the latest technology needed for vascular and endovascular procedures such as grafts, angioplasty balloons, atherectomy devices and stents. Our vascular surgeons are board certified, and two have been recognized as Phoenix Top Doctors by Phoenix Magazine.

What is the vascular system?

• Vascular surgery refers to surgery of the blood vessels -- arteries and veins.
• The arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to feed all areas of the body, while the veins return the blood to the heart and lungs to be re-oxygenated.
• The average body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels.

Common Procedures

Carotid endarterectomy
The carotid arteries are located on both sides of the neck. They supply blood to the brain. An endarterectomy is a surgery to remove fatty blockages that have narrowed the blood vessels and caused blood flow to be diminished. Carotid endarterectomy is usually performed to prevent a stroke caused by decreased blood flow to the brain.

Carotid Artery Stenting
In some patients, the ability to do a carotid endarterectomy is limited, in which case a carotid stenting procedure is a reasonable alternative.
 
Peripheral vascular procedures
The peripheral vascular system is located in the smaller parts of the body, such as legs and arms. Treatment of these vessels can be done without an operation, such as:

• angioplasty,  which uses a small balloon to stretch open a narrowing in a blood vessel
• stenting, which uses a structure that is permanently implanted into a vessel to hold open a blockage
• atherectomy , which uses a small rotating blade to shave out the fatty blockage
• thrombectomy, which uses a catheter to remove clot

All of these procedures can be performed using an X-ray through a small opening in the artery or vein that does not require stitches or closures.
 
Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair
The thoracic aorta is a large artery located in the chest that sends blood to the lower parts of the body. An aneurysm is a bulging or a rupture of a blood vessel caused by a weakening of the wall of the vessel. The surgery to correct this can be performed by implanting an endoluminal graft inside the blood vessel to prevent rupture of the aneurysm. This type of surgery requires small incisions and less time spent in the hospital than an open procedure.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm repair
Usually referred to as AAA, the abdominal aorta is a large artery located in the abdomen that sends blood through to the lower parts of the body. An aneurysm is a bulging or rupture of a blood vessel caused by a weakening of the wall of the vessel. The surgery to correct this can be performed either as an open procedure or by implanting an endoluminal graft inside the blood vessel to prevent rupture of the aneurysm. This type of surgery requires small incisions and less time spent in the hospital than an open procedure.