Penn Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy Program

Advanced Procedures for Vascular Repair and Reconstruction

The Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy Program at Penn Medicine is one of the nation's top centers vascular surgery and repair.

Patients with a variety of vascular diseases come to Penn's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy Program. The vascular team partners with patients to evaluate all of the surgical, minimally invasive, endovascular and medical treatments available.

Penn vascular surgeons are experts in:

• Blocked or narrowed arteries (peripheral artery disease)
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm and thoracic aortic aneurysm
• Disease of the veins, including deep vein thrombosis
• Dialysis access
• Carotid artery disease
• Thoracic outlet syndrome

Vascular disease can impair or block blood flow through arteries and veins, or cause them to enlarge (become aneurysmal). It can affect any or many parts of the body resulting in stroke, kidney failure, limb ischemia, or even death.

A Multispecialty Approach Leads to Better Outcomes

Penn's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy team consists of:

• Vascular surgeons
• Vascular medicine specialists
• Dedicated vascular anesthesiologists

They collaborate with cardiac specialists and neurosurgeons to treat patients with heart and brain complications of peripheral vascular disease.

Breadth and Depth of Expertise in Vascular Care

Vascular procedures, whether they are traditional open surgeries or minimally invasive endovascular interventions, are intricate and complex. As a high-volume vascular center, specialists at Penn routinely perform procedures that are done only occasionally at other locations. They are uniquely qualified to treat all patients including those considered to be high-risk.

Procedures include:

• Aneurysm repair – traditional open surgery and minimally invasive stent grafts
• Low extremity bypassing (revascularization)
• Extremity angioplasty/stenting
• Removal of atherosclerotic plaque buildup
• Reoperative vascular surgeries
• Second procedures (for recurrent arterial stenosis (narrowing) and graft failure)
• IVC filter insertion and removal

Experience patients can rely on

Patients can rely on excellent care at Penn because: 

• Penn offers the most fully integrated and comprehensive care for vascular disease available in the Philadelphia region.
• More carotid, aortic, and peripheral arterial repairs are performed at Penn than at any other regional facility.
• As one of the top five centers in the United States for thoracic aortic, abdominal aortic and carotid stenting, Penn is among a handful of centers at the forefront of endovascular surgery.

“Firsts” that offer new options for patients

For close to a half century, Penn Medicine surgeons and interventional specialists have pioneered new therapies for life-threatening vascular disorders. Penn was the first vascular center in the nation to perform balloon angioplasty for stenotic arteries.

Physicians with credentials that translate to the best in quality care

Penn physicians are able to provide quality care because:

• Penn's vascular specialists are board certified in general surgery and vascular surgery.
• They provide consultation and training for medical professionals around the world.
• They are regularly acknowledged for their talent by both peers and consumers and have been recognized by Best Doctors in America, Philadelphia Magazine's Top Docs™ and America's Top Doctors.

Unique capabilities and expertise

You can expect to benefit from Penn's unique capabilities and expertise because: 

• Extensive diagnostic facilities offer patients state-of-the-art technology. Penn's labs are accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL).
• All surgical and endovascular suites are equipped with high definition imaging systems and specially designed instruments.

A commitment to accessible care

Penn's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy team is available around the clock for prompt referral consultation and immediate care for patients in critical situations, including abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures and carotid blockages.

Active research programs put Penn at the forefront of new developments in vascular surgery and endovascular therapy.

Penn is a leader in clinical and FDA trials including:

• New ways to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• Novel ways of treating claudication (PVD).
• New methods to identify and treat carotid disease.
• Investigations into reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.