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The Division of Vascular Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has announced the opening of two new state-of-the-art surgical facilities dedicated to the minimally invasive treatment of atherosclerosis and other conditions of the vascular system. The facilities are located at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

The new ORs offer diagnostic as well as therapeutic capabilities and feature Siemens AXIOM imaging equipment, which provides outstanding image quality with maximum possible radiation protection. The suites also feature LEONARDO workstations with flat screen technology for optimized radiographic evaluation and diagnosis, and are equipped with the latest video conferencing equipment to facilitate the broadcast of live cases for educational purposes.

Minimally invasive surgery means quicker recovery and greater convenience for patients with a wide range of endovascular conditions, says Dr. James McKinsey, site chief, Division of Vascular Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia; associate professor of surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians Surgeons; and adjunct associate professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.

The Endovascular Surgery Operating Rooms will specialize in minimally invasive endovascular surgery to repair peripheral vascular disease (PVD), a condition in which the arteries that carry blood to the arms or legs become narrowed or clogged, says Dr. Craig Kent, chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and professor of surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians Surgeons.

PVD interferes with the normal flow of blood, sometimes causing pain but often causing no symptoms at all. PVD affects about one in 20 people over the age of 50, or 10 million Americans. The most common cause of PVD is atherosclerosis, which is often called hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is a gradual process in which cholesterol and scar tissue build up, forming a substance called plaque that clogs the blood vessels. In some cases, PVD may be caused by blood clots that lodge in the arteries and restrict blood flow. More than half of persons with PVD experience leg pain, numbness or other symptoms but many people dismiss these signs as a normal part of aging and don't seek medical help. Only about half of those with symptoms have been diagnosed with PVD and are seeing a doctor for treatment.

Other conditions treated in the new minimally invasive endovascular ORs include arterial blockages of the peripheral arteries including the legs; obstruction of the kidney arteries resulting in high blood pressure and renal failure; obstruction of arteries leading to the bowels resulting in pain after eating; aneurysms of the thoracic and abdominal aorta; and acute arterial and venous occlusions, among others. The occurrence of stroke will also be reduced by treating carotid artery blockages, and diagnostic studies will be performed to evaluate for arterial and venous disease.