Vascular Surgery: Different Procedures

Written By: Rachael Kaine

Common Vascular Surgery Procedures

- Inserting a vena cava filter in order to prevent deep vein thrombosis from causing blood clots to travel throughout the body. Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a vein has hardened blood inside of it, typically in the legs and thighs. This condition is dangerous because the clot can break off, travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism, which happens when the blood flow to the lungs is blocked. Vascular surgery Washington DC may be necessary after being diagnosed with a DVT in order to prevent future issues.

- Varicose vein surgery is one of the most common procedures that is done on patients around the world because it is near the top of the list of vein issues that people have. This type of vascular surgery involves the removal of the affected areas of veins - again, often this is in the legs - in order to eliminate the visibility of the veins beneath the skin. Though this procedure is effective at getting rid of existing varicose veins, it cannot prevent them from reoccurring in different areas in the future.

- Inserting a carotid artery stent is another type of vein surgery DC procedure that is done in order to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from plaque blockage within the veins. The surgery involves small tubes being inserted into the artery in order to help expand the area, promoting an increased blood flow for the future. The stent keeps the artery permanently opened, leading to increased blood flow and a reduced likelihood for plaque build up or a hardening of the arteries.

Vascular Surgery: Less Common

- Debridement of venous ulcers is a last resort vein surgery that is used to correct ulcers that are either infected or otherwise unresponsive to treatment. The infected tissue and bone (if necessary) is removed, along with any other debris, dead tissue and foreign objects that may be present. This surgery promotes healing and the production of platelets, which will improve the overall health of the body.

Endovascular aneurysm repair is a less common but still important type of vascular surgery Washington DC. This can be done in a variety of ways, including endovascular grafting (EVAR) procedure, where a small stent is placed into the aneurysm to reinforce it and is then attached via thread in order to keep it from rupturing. Another option for this type of repair is to have a branched arch aneurysm repair, which is where a specialized device is inserted with different branches that help to route blood successfully to different parts of the body.