Vascular Surgery

Methodist Hospital offers new, minimally invasive vascular procedures for the treatment of aortic aneurysms, carotid stenosis, peripheral vascular disease and varicose veins. These high-tech procedures are safer, faster and offer a shorter recovery period than traditional vascular surgeries.

One of the new procedures repairs aortic aneurysms in the belly, which have a high mortality if they rupture. Aortic aneurysms are the 10th leading cause of death in adults, however they can be safely repaired if detected early.

During the procedure, a vascular surgeon removes the aneurysm through a catheter inserted into a small incision. The procedure does not require general anesthesia, which makes it safer, usually takes less than two hours, and allows patients to be discharged within 24 hours. Traditional surgery to remove aortic aneurysms involves general anesthesia, opening the abdomen, clamping the aorta, and a 5-7 day hospital stay as well as 3 -4 month recovery.

The new procedure is performed by Joseph Lombardi, M.D. Dr Lombardi is a leader in the field of endovascular surgery and has been published in numerous surgical journals for his endovascular techniques.

"Most patients and their families are amazed at how an aneurysm can be repaired through those tiny incisions and they are virtually pain-free when they leave the hospital the next day," said Dr. Lombardi.

Dr. Lombardi said that people most at risk for aortic aneurysms have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart disease, smoke or have diabetes. Most people find out by accident that they have an aortic aneurysm because the mass can linger in the body without causing symptoms until a devastating rupture.

Dr. Lombardi offers similar minimally invasive procedures to treat peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and carotid disease. Patients with PVD have diseased arteries, causing leg cramps and pain during physical activity or burning pain sensations on the top of feet while lying in bed. Patients with carotid disease are at risk for stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIA). These new endovascular procedures can also be used to treat carotid disease as well.

Another new procedure Dr. Lombardi offers is the use of radiofrequency waves to treat vericose veins. The procedure, which was developed less than two years ago, revolutionizes how vericose veins are treated. While traditional surgery for veins was invasive and painful, treatment with radiofrequency waves painlessly destroys the veins in less than 30 minutes, and patients are discharged the same day. "It is a wonderful advancement to offer these high tech procedures in the heart of South Philadelphia," Dr. Lombardi said.