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Vascular
Surgery at OLBH
For most of us, by the time we reach age 50 we are bound to encounter
some form of vascular disease, whether it is a slightly higher cholesterol
level than is normal for you, or something a bit more serious, such
as diabetes, kidney disease, or cardiovascular disease. If you already
know you are at risk for vascular conditions (have a family history
for heart or vascular disease, or diabetes; or if you have high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, are overweight, or smoke) then it is in
your best interest to become familiar with the types of treatments
available to help alleviate possible pain and avoid future strokes
or aneurysms.
The Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital Vascular Center is specially designed
to help manage vascular disease. The center’s specialized healthcare
professionals offer patients diagnosis, treatment, follow-up care,
and communication with their primary care physician to help prevent
disease progression.
A variety of surgical procedures to correct arterial blockages and
other vascular disease complications are available at Our Lady of
Bellefonte Hospital including:
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Carotid Endarterectomy: performed when the carotid artery in the
neck is severely blocked keeping blood from your brain. This interruption
of blood flow to the brain can cause mini-strokes and should be
taken very seriously. The procedure allows your surgeon to carefully
remove plaque build-up within the artery and helps to prevent further
risk of stroke.
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Peripheral
Arterial Bypass: helps restore blood flow by bypassing blockages
in the arteries in the abdomen, pelvis, and legs. The procedure
involves inserting a synthetic tube to bring blood from the arteries
above the blockage to those below the blockage and restore proper
blood flow.
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Aneurysm
Repair: can involve an endovascular technique that involves fixing
a weakened area of the artery by inserting a graft to seal off the
aneurysm. The graft effectively excludes the aneurysm from the flow
of blood, which is then directed through the graft. Aneurysm repair
also can involve a surgical resection to take out a part of the
artery and replace it with a synthetic graft that serves as a pathway
for blood flow as a healthy artery normally would perform.
Although some arterial blockages can be repaired while being evaluated
in the OLBH Vascular Center, it is comforting to know that when further
clinical interventions are necessary, you are living near the premier
vascular resource in the region - Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital.
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