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Vascular disease

Vascular disease is a broad term used to describe conditions and diseases affecting the arteries and veins. These blood vessels are vital for blood circulation throughout the body, and problems with vascular function may result in adverse health effects.

Vascular specialists in Gainesville

At The Heart & Vascular Center at HCA Florida North Florida Hospital, we offer many different treatment options for patients with vascular disease.

Vascular disease is a narrowing or blockage within the vascular system — including the veins and arteries — which carries blood from the heart throughout the rest of the body. These blockages can lead to more serious conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, carotid artery disease and peripheral artery disease. To treat vascular disease, we use a multidisciplinary approach to care that includes specialists in cardiovascular disease, vascular surgery and radiology.

Our vascular care program

Our vascular specialists combat vascular disease through surgery and minimally invasive endovascular procedures.

Types of vascular diseases we treat

Your veins and arteries are responsible for continuously providing your heart with blood, oxygen and all its essential nutrients. If they become blocked or obstructed, whether by plaque buildup or otherwise, that can lead to serious health complications. Our mission is to help you overcome these types of issues, and our vascular specialists are equipped to treat a wide range of vascular diseases, including:

  • Atherosclerosis
  • Carotid artery disease
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Peripheral artery disease
  • Peripheral venous disease
  • Pulmonary embolismSilver

Interventional and minimally invasive vascular surgery

We offer the following vascular treatments:

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair — This procedure protects the portion of the aorta that has ballooned, causing a risk for rupture. For some patients, endovascular grafting is an option that uses minimally invasive methods to manipulate catheters to the aorta where a stent is placed to reinforce the weakened area.
  • Angiogram — During this procedure, the physician inserts a tiny, hollow tube (called a catheter) into an artery or vein in the arm, groin or wrist. The physician will inject a dye into the vessels to visualize blood flow and identify if any blockages are present.
  • Arterial Venous Fistula or graft — A graft is a surgical connection made between the artery and vein for long-term hemodialysis treatment.
  • Atherosclerosis endarterectomy — This open procedure removes plaque buildup from a blood vessel. The goal is to remove any buildup in the arteries that may affect blood flow.
  • Balloon angioplasty and stenting — This procedure, often performed immediately following an angiogram, allows a doctor to insert a small, balloon-tipped catheter into the blocked area of an artery or vein. The doctor then inflates the balloon to press the plaque that is causing the blockage against the vessel walls. Once the plaque has been moved out of the way, blood is able to flow freely. For some patients, a stent may be placed inside the blood vessel to permanently hold it open.
  • Carotid endarterectomy — This type of endarterectomy removes plaque specifically from an artery that supplies blood to the brain. It is often recommended for patients who have already experienced a mild cerebrovascular accident (stroke).
  • Carotid artery stenting — This is a minimally invasive procedure used to open a partially blocked carotid artery, which is responsible for supplying blood to the brain. This method uses catheters to place a metal mesh tube, called a stent, inside the artery to keep it from narrowing.
  • Bypass surgery for vascular disease — A vascular bypass surgery reroutes blood flow around a blocked blood vessel to create a new pathway for blood flow using a graft. The goal of surgery is to bypass a blocked artery. This surgery improves blood supply and increases the oxygen supply to tissues that have been starved by poor circulation.
Hybrid procedures

Our surgeons also specialize in hybrid procedures, which are performed when a minimally invasive endovascular approach is not possible for an entire procedure. In these cases, we use an open surgical approach for the beginning of the procedure and remove any arterial blockages. After, we use an endovascular approach to repair the vessels below the blockage and place a stent.

By combining traditional and endovascular approaches in these hybrid procedures, we can offer minimally invasive treatments to more patients.

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Our Vascular disease Locations

Currently Viewing:

North Florida Hospital
6500 W Newberry Rd
Gainesville, FL 32605
 (352) 333 - 4000

Currently Viewing:

North Florida Hospital
6500 W Newberry Rd
Gainesville, FL 32605
 (352) 333 - 4000
Oak Hill Hospital
11375 Cortez Blvd
Brooksville, FL 34613
 (352) 596 - 6632

78.2 miles

Bayonet Point Hospital
14000 Fivay Rd
Hudson, FL 34667
 (727) 819 - 2929

91.4 miles