Vascular Surgery

Mesenteric vascular disease is a condition that develops when the arteries in the abdomen that supply the intestines with blood become narrowed due to the build-up of plaque (a process called atherosclerosis). The result is a lack of blood supply to the intestines (UMCVC). Symptoms of this disease include unexplained weight loss and pain that occurs after eating.

Peripheral arterial disease is a condition that develops with age and can be made worse due to smoking, high cholesterol, and plaque build-up in the arteries. All of these factors make it more difficult for your blood vessels to healthily carry your blood through your body. PAD is also often connected to other vascular diseases like carotid artery disease, DVT, strokes, and varicose veins.

Learn More About PAD

Thoracic outlet syndrome is a set of symptoms in the shoulder, arm, or hand. It occurs from a narrowing of the thoracic outlet. This is the space between your collarbone and your first rib. It can result from injury, disease, or a problem present from birth. Thoracic outlet syndrome is not common, but it can occur in people of any age. It usually causes pain and numbness in your shoulder, arms, hands, and fingers.

Learn More About Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Our state-of-the-art vascular procedure centers are accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission and each of the RVT’s are registered through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS). These locations allow you to access advanced laboratory professionals all throughout Tennessee, without the congestion of a hospital setting. While appointments are required, it is often possible to make a ‘same-day’ appointment. Your test results will be sent to your vascular surgeon to help determine a recommended course of treatment.

VPC Columbia | Mt. Juliet | Nashville

Find a vascular surgeon in Nashville or Middle Tennessee

The Surgical Clinic has board certified vascular surgeons who focus on treating all vascular and endovascular issues including pulmonary embolism, spider veins and varicose veins. Our network of board certified vascular surgeons and vein specialists are able to help patients with everything from common vein problems to serious conditions such as carotid artery disease. To find a provider near you, simply visit our “locations” tab, and choose the closest clinic in your area. We have over 40 surgeons throughout middle Tennessee, offering a variety of vascular surgery options.

PHYSIOLOGIC (NON-IMAGING) TESTING

Physiologic arterial testing is the evaluation of the amount of blood flow to the arms or legs. If narrowing in an artery reduces the amount of blood flow to the arms or legs, we can detect this with physiologic testing. First we listen to the arterial flow and record waveforms of the flow pattern. We take blood pressures at different levels on the arms or legs, and we may have you walk on a treadmill for approximately five minutes to see if blood flow to the legs is reduced further with walking. All of this data helps your physician determine the overall significance of any narrowing and how much blood flow is getting to the legs or arms.

ANKLE/BRACHIAL INDEX

This is a simple physiologic test that involves taking a blood pressure from your arms and your ankles. We obtain a ratio of the ankle pressure to the arm pressure that tells us if the blood flow to your ankles is normal or abnormal. This test is the first step in evaluating the blood flow to your legs and is used to determine which further testing is performed. Arterial Doppler with Segmental Pressures Upper and Lower Extremities: This test involves taking blood pressures from different levels of your legs or arms. We also record waveforms of the blood flow to determine the quality of the blood flow. The blood pressures and waveforms help determine where any arterial narrowing is located.

ARTERIAL DOPPLER WITH TREADMILL

This test may assess your blood pressures in your arms and ankles after you have walked for 5 minutes on a Treadmill. This measures how exercise affects the blood flow to your legs. It is usually conducted after the Ankle/Brachial Index and Segmental Pressure testing is completed.

VASCULAR HEALTH SCREENING

The key to excellent vascular care is proper diagnosis and treatment options. The Surgical Clinic’s ICAVL accredited vascular laboratory offers vascular screening services to assure that you receive proper diagnosis and treatment of your vascular condition. The state-of-the-art vascular ultrasound screening services are painless, fast and accurate. A vascular screening will help identify unnoticed vascular conditions; however, these screening do not take the place of a physical exam.

RAYNAUD’S TESTING

The key to excellent vascular care is proper diagnosis and treatment options. The Surgical Clinic’s ICAVL accredited vascular laboratory offers vascular screening services to assure that you receive proper diagnosis and treatment of your vascular condition. The state-of-the-art vascular ultrasound screening services are painless, fast and accurate. A vascular screening will help identify unnoticed vascular conditions; however, these screening do not take the place of a physical exam.

Vascular ultrasound and physiologic vascular procedures are booked for The Surgical Clinic patients in the Vascular Laboratory in Tennessee. This convenient and comfortable settings allow Registered Vascular Technologists (RVTs) to evaluate the blood supply to and from various parts of the body. This information is obtained without any invasive procedures. After an appointment, you will be able to return to your regular activities. It is important to point out that your care will be delivered by a professional with an RVT certification. The RVT certification, not required in many labs, is the standard at The Surgical Clinics’ labs and helps to assure you that your tests are being conducted by people specialized in these diagnostic procedures. We have a variety of locations across Tennessee, so whether you live in Nashville or Dickson TN, we’ve got a provider for you.

Learn more about how and why you should get screened for peripheral arterial disease.

Should You Be Screened for PAD?