Vascular Center of Excellence

The Vascular Center of Excellence at Tampa General Hospital’s (TGH) Heart & Vascular Institute (HVI) offers patients comprehensive, goal-directed medical therapy, traditional open surgical repair and minimally invasive endovascular therapies in the management of aortic disease, peripheral arterial disease, central and peripheral venous disease, extracerebral carotid disease, dialysis access and thoracic outlet syndrome. Using a multispecialty approach, the team provides complex care to the most advanced pathologies. As the only tertiary referral center in the greater Tampa area, TGH’s Heart & Vascular Institute plays a pivotal role in a growing partnership with the local community.

TGH’s Ultrasound Vascular Laboratory has been reaccredited for an additional three-year term by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in vascular testing in the areas of extracranial cerebrovascular testing, peripheral venous testing, peripheral arterial testing, and visceral vascular testing. The IAC accreditation is a seal of approval that signifies a consistent commitment to the highest level of quality care. TGH plans to open a third vascular lab in early 2025.

AORTIC DISEASE PROGRAM
The TGH Aortic Disease Program is nationally recognized as a high-volume and high-performing aortic center that offers a multidisciplinary and comprehensive tailored approach to each patient with aortic disease. This team approach to aortic care allows access to the most innovative devices available, including those being investigated in trials. This includes devices to manage the entire aorta, including areas not previously managed by endovascular means, as well as the ascending aorta and arch.

Led by Dr. Dean Arnaoutakis, TGH is the only center in Florida to have an FDA-approved, physician-sponsored Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to treat complex aortic aneurysm disease with physician-modified endografts, which affords a repair option to many patients who would otherwise be turned down for surgery. It is an option for several patients who have had prior endovascular aortic repairs that have failed over time and were not good candidates for open repair.

UNIQUE LIMB PRESERVATION AND COMPLEX PERIPHERAL ARTERIAL DISEASE PROGRAM
The TGH Limb Preservation Program, led by Dr. Sashi Inkollu, is the first and only of its kind in the Tampa Bay region, offering a true multidisciplinary, integrated, evidence-based approach to the management and care of patients with complex peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Through its Acute Limb Alert pathway, the program has been pivotal in saving the limbs of patients with abrupt loss of blood flow to their extremity.

Treatments for PAD range from medical therapy to traditional open vascular bypass and minimally invasive endovascular interventions like angioplasty, stenting and atherectomy. Vascular surgeons in the program are actively involved in clinical research, including innovations in care and national trials, some of which are only available at TGH HVI. Additionally, TGH offers therapies such as deep venous arterialization (DVA) for limb salvage in patients that have run out of more conventional revascularization opportunities.

HVI DIALYSIS ACCESS PROGRAM
The TGH HVI Dialysis Access Program is committed to delivering comprehensive, high-quality care to patients with chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis access. To that end, TGH and USF Health have assembled a multidisciplinary team of vascular and transplant surgeons, as well as interventional radiologists.

Vascular surgeon Dr. Aurelia Calero has dedicated herself to managing this challenging set of patients with the support of a team of vascular surgeons who provide operative care. A multidisciplinary approach allows the team to take advantage of the unique skills each discipline brings to optimize care and ensure positive outcomes.

The TGH HVI Dialysis Access Program provides placement and maintenance for patients with all issues related to this group of patients including AV access creation, maintenance as well as emergent issues. Likewise, TGH also manages central venous issues with both minimally invasive means and open surgical options. The overriding theme with this group of patients is the complexity of their care. The team is dedicated to mitigating problems by delivering comprehensive care.

VENOUS PROGRAM
Venous disease ranges from more conventional treatment of varicose veins and venous insufficiency to management of central venous disease, including a program to perform central open venous surgery for patients who have no endovascular options. The superficial venous program is spearheaded by Dr. Aurelia Calero and Michelle Michaels, APRN, who offer comprehensive management of superficial venous disease. Central deep vein treatment is primarily driven by Dr. Jean Bismuth, which includes thrombectomy, bypass and innovative endovascular therapies.

View the Heart & Vascular Institute Annual Highlights Booklet