Vascular Services

Augusta Health offers a state of the art Vascular Suite that combines a full operating room and the most advanced angiography and imaging equipment, so that both surgical and radiological vascular procedures can be done at the same time. The suite provides sophisticated anesthesia equipment, state of the art surgical lighting, a floating angiography table for smoother patient mobility, integrated radiology imaging with ceiling mounted digital imaging for high quality images, and computerized documentation.

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (or peripheral arterial disease) is a common condition that affects approximately ten million adults in the U.S. About 5% of people over the age of 50 are believed to suffer from peripheral artery disease. The known risk factors for peripheral artery disease are those that predispose to the development of atherosclerosis.

Risk factors for peripheral artery disease include:

• High blood levels of the bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
• Low blood levels of the good HDL cholesterol
• Cigarette smoking
• Diabetes mellitus (both Type I and Type II diabetes)
• High blood pressure (hypertension) or a family history of hypertension
• A family history of atherosclerotic disease
• Chronic renal failure
• Overweight or obesity
• Physical inactivity

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures

A wide range of procedures can be preformed in this dual operating room and angiography suite, including intravascular, minimally invasive procedures and traditional open surgeries. The radiology capabilities of the suite allow imaging before, during and after surgery - all in the same room, making the experience much more convenient and pleasant for our patients.

Angiography

A procedure that uses a special dye to see inside of arteries and/or veins in various areas of the body including: abdomen, kidneys, arms, and legs.

Procedures include:

• Abdominal Aortograms: examines the major artery (aorta) in the body and all the vessels that connect to the aorta.
• Upper and Lower extremity angiography: examines the arteries/veins in the extremities either arms or legs.
• Renal Angiography: A test to evaluate the arteries of the kidneys.
• Venous Angiography: Examines the veins in the body.
• Arterial/Venous Fistulogram: examines the vessels of patients, who are having or need dialysis.
• Balloon Angiography: The inflation of a small balloon in the vessel.
• Intravascular Stenting: Uses a metal stent (tube) to hold the vessel open
• TPA (Tissue Plasminogen activator thrombolysis): Infusion of drug to break up clots.
• Percutaneous Arthrectomy: The removal of calcium in vessels
• Endovascular Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm Repair: Repair of the Abdominal Aorta that has developed an aneurysm (bulging area).
• Carotid Angiography: Examines the arteries in neck that lead to the brain.