Research shows that in recent years almost half of all adults in the United States have been living with heart disease, one of the most prominent forms of vascular disease.

Vascular disease affects the body’s vast network of blood vessels, veins and arteries.

Common examples of vascular disease are aneurysms (a dangerous bulge in an artery wall), atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries), PAD or peripheral artery disease, and coronary and carotid artery diseases (blockages in the main arteries leading to the brain and heart).

If left untreated, any of these types of vascular disease can lead to serious issues like heart attack or stroke. Vascular disease typically stems from conditions like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, family history or genetics, or sometimes a traumatic injury or serious infection.

Our team of board-certified cardiothoracic and vascular surgeons is continually dedicated to offering the latest, most innovative treatments to treat vascular disease. Recent developments in the surgical procedures that we perform focus on minimally invasive techniques that provide shorter and easier recovery times.

What are some of the latest innovations in surgery for vascular disease?

Some of the latest treatments that we offer patients at CTVS to surgically treat vascular disease are:

This procedure treats carotid artery disease by stenting the plaque buildup and fatty deposits in this major artery that supplies blood to the brain. TCAR involves a small incision in the neckline to access the carotid artery so that it can be opened and allow healthy blood flow to be restored.

  • Fenestrated Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (FEVAR)

FEVAR is a minimally-invasive procedure to treat complex abdominal aortic aneurysms that traditionally required large open incisions on the abdomen that took a long time to. heal. The FEVAR procedure is performed via much smaller incisions in the groin area and uses specialized stents with customized openings to precisely fit in the arterial branches of the aorta while it’s being repaired.

  • Balloon Angioplasty

            New advancements in balloon angioplasty technology used to clear arteries include

drug- coated balloons (DCBs) that deliver medicine to dissolve the plaque buildup and

balloons that are scored (scoring angioplasty) that have defined/serrated ridges to

physically break through the blockages during angioplasty.

This new minimally invasive method uses sonic waves administered via a catheter to clear plaque and calcium buildup in blocked arteries.

Vascular Disease Prevention

Preventing vascular disease can be accomplished through healthy diet and exercise, managing conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and getting regularly screened if you have a family history of vascular or cardiovascular disease.  

For questions about our vascular, cardiac, or thoracic services, please visit ctvstexas.com or call us at (512) 459-8753 to schedule an appointment.

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