Vascular Medicine

Detecting and treating vascular disease early can improve your quality of life, help you maintain independence and reduce your risk of serious complications. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a leading cause of amputation. Caused by blocked arteries that send blood to the legs, PAD causes pain when climbing stairs, working out or walking.

Other vascular issues cause leg swelling, throbbing or pain. Your blood pressure may be hard to control. You may develop wounds on your hand, foot or leg that won’t heal.

These symptoms and others indicate you need vascular medicine care.

A few conditions we treat include:

• Blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism)

• Blue toe syndrome — painful and discolored toes that appear blue or purple

• Carotid bruits — a sound within the carotid arteries that can help identify narrowing in the carotid arteries

• Carotid stenosis — narrowing of the carotid arteries

• Claudication — cramping or pain in the lower extremity muscles

• Gangrene — tissue death resulting from an infection or a loss of blood supply

• Lymphedema

• Poor circulation

• Spider veins — small blue, purple or red blood vessels that are visible through the skin

• Varicose veins — veins that twist and swell just under the skin, typically in the legs

• Venous insufficiency — valves in the legs don’t function correctly, making it difficult for blood to flow from the legs to the heart

• Weak pulse

All services provided by our vascular medicine program aim to manage your condition and improve your life. Because the vascular system connects to every area of your body, our vascular team cooperates with multiple specialists.

Depending on your needs, members of your vascular medicine care team may include one or more of the following:

• Bariatric surgeons

• Cardiologists

• Dermatologists

• Emergency medicine physicians

• Endocrinologists

• Nephrologists

• Neurosurgeons

• Orthopedic surgeons

• Pain management specialists

• Primary care doctors

• Rheumatologists

Ochsner offers virtual visits for follow-up care. Virtual visits give you an opportunity to follow up with a vascular expert. You can discuss ongoing symptoms, complications and more. And your team can modify your treatment plan, while you sit in the comfort of your home. All you need is an internet connection and a computer or smartphone.

Thanks to advanced technology, Ochsner vascular medicine team members can diagnose vascular disease earlier than ever. As a result, you maintain the best possible quality of life and may even avoid surgery.

Diagnostic tests that help find vascular issues include:

• Abdominal/mesenteric artery ultrasound — uses sound waves to find blockages in the abdomen

• Aorta and peripheral artery ultrasound — uses sound waves to find blockages in the aorta or arteries in the arms or legs

• Arterial mapping studies — uses sound waves to evaluate the blood flow within the arms, legs and neck

• Arterial physiological testing of both the upper and lower extremities — determines the presence and extent of peripheral artery disease

• Carotid artery ultrasound — uses sound waves to determine if the carotid artery in the neck has blockages that could lead to a stroke

• Carotid intimal medial thickness assessment — uses sound waves to determine the thickness of part of the carotid arteries to help identify blockages and narrowing before symptoms are present

• Intraoperative duplex ultrasonography — testing performed during bypass surgery to help doctors see blood flow before the surgery is finished

• Lower extremity graft surveillance — evaluation of vein bypass grafts on a regular basis following surgery

• Pulse volume recordings of the lower and upper extremities — uses sound waves to measure blood flow in your arms or legs

• Renal artery ultrasound — uses sound waves to diagnose renal artery problems

• Vascular screening studies — uses sound waves to monitor your arteries and veins for blood flow problems

Once you are diagnosed with a vascular condition, we develop a tailored treatment plan. You may benefit from lifestyle changes, medications or more intense therapy. As a comprehensive vascular medicine program, we offer advanced therapies, such as endovenous laser therapy, radiofrequency ablation and sclerotherapy. During every step of your journey, we monitor your condition to keep you on the path to good health.

Vascular medicine has made tremendous strides. However, many vascular conditions remain misunderstood. At Ochsner, our vascular medicine team hopes to change that. They constantly research data to better understand vascular diseases, enhance care, reduce complications and improve patients’ quality of life.

Additionally, Ochsner is securing the future of vascular care. Through our vascular medicine training program, future vascular specialists gain firsthand experience detecting, treating and managing these conditions.

As one of the country’s few vascular medicine training programs in the Gulf South, Ochsner is truly on the leading edge. From our multidisciplinary team of board-certified physicians to our nationally-accredited lab to our collaborative approach with Ochsner physicians system-wide, whatever your needs, we have a pathway for your treatment.

The Ochsner team is comprised of dedicated individuals with a passion for preventing vascular disease in all parts of the body. Patients here receive one-on-one consultation and treatment plans tailored to their unique needs.

Our team has special expertise in endovenous laser therapy (EVLT), radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and sclerotherapy. What’s more, we are actively involved in clinical trials that involve clotting, arterial and venous disorders

If you've been told you need surgery to save a limb or even your life, we can offer a second opinion from a non-interventional standpoint. And if it turns out you do require more invasive treatment, our team can provide a seamless care transition to one of our interventional colleagues here at Ochsner.

To schedule an appointment with one of our physicians, call one of the following numbers:

• Greater New Orleans Area & Metairie: 504-842-4168
• West Bank: 504-595-8020
• Kenner & River Parishes: 504-842-7434
• Northshore: Covington, Mandeville or Abita Springs: 985-875-2828
• Slidell: 985-639-3777

The Vascular Medicine team at Ochsner specializes in the diagnosis and management of the following diseases and conditions:

• Blue toe syndrome
• Carotid Bruits
• Carotid stenosis
• Claudication
• Difficult-to-control hypertension
• Embolic events
• Foot ulcers
• Gangrene
• Hand ulcers
• Hypercoagulable states
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Leg swelling
• Leg throbbing and aching
• Leg ulcers
• Lymphedema
• Renal artery stenosis
• Rest pain in legs
• Spider veins
• Subclavian steal syndrome
• Superficial thrombophlebitis
• Upper and lower extremity arterial insufficiency
• Vasculitis
• Venous insufficiency
• Venous thromboembolism including deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
• Varicose vein treatments including sclerotherapy, ultrasound guided sclerotherapy and endovenous catheter based procedure

What is Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)?

One in every 20 Americans over the age of 50 has a blockage in the arteries bringing blood to their legs know as peripheral artery disease (PAD). The goal of the vascular medicine subspecialists at Ochsner Health is to identify disease early, intervene early and avoid or delay major surgery with minimally invasive, cutting-edge therapies.

• Abdominal/mesenteric artery ultrasound
• Aorta and peripheral artery ultrasound
• Arterial mapping studies
• Arterial physiological testing of both the upper and lower extremities
• Carotid artery ultrasound
• Carotid Intimal Medial Thickness (IMT) Assessment
• Intra-operative duplex ultrasonography
• Lower extremity graft surveillance
• Pulse volume recordings of the lower and upper extremities
• Renal artery ultrasound
• Vascular screening studies

• William Bennett, MD, PhD
  Interventional Cardiologist, Director of Vascular Medicine
• Achal Sahai, MD
  Interventional Cardiologist, Vascular Specialist

Dr. William Bennett's Care Philosophy:

As a physician, I can think of no greater honor and privilege than taking care of patients. Patients entrust you with their health and ask you to make them better. Taking care of patients with cardiac and vascular disease is especially challenging, because, if not managed appropriately, the patient may lose their limb and possibly their life. Therefore, my care philosophy is centered on the premise of delivering the highest quality care possible, while educating the patient on their disease process so that they may become an active participant in their care. I believe that in order to truly take care of the disease, you must first care for the patient.

William L. Bennett MD, PhD
Interventional Cardiologist Director, Section of Vascular Medicine