Heart & Vascular Institute
The Heart & Vascular Institute enables Watson Clinic Cardiologists and Interventional Radiologists to provide their patients with the most modern equipment available in the diagnosis of heart and peripheral vascular disease. This includes state-of-the-art diagnostic heart catheterizations, peripheral vascular studies and treatments, a comprehensive vein center for treatment of varicose and spider veins, and vertebral compression fracture treatments.
Heart Procedures
What’s a catheterization?
Catheterization means using a small, flexible, plastic tube to inject dye into an artery, while taking x-rays, to see if there is an obstruction in the artery. Angiogram is another word that means the same thing. Watson Clinic can perform heart catheterizations, carotid angiograms (arteries that go to the head), renal angiograms (arteries that go to the kidneys), aortograms (the main artery that travels through the chest and abdomen), and peripheral angiograms (arteries that go to the arms or legs).
Who needs a catheterization?
You may have had symptoms of inadequate blood flow or a positive stress test that you and your doctor have discussed. For example, you may have had symptoms of angina, and your doctor may have recommended that you get a heart catheterization. Perhaps you have had symptoms of a stroke, and your doctor has suggested that you get a carotid angiogram. You may have experienced leg pain or swelling and had a peripheral study suggested by your doctor. In all these cases, a catheterization or angiogram can show if there is a blockage in those arteries.
What is involved?
Depending on your procedure, you may have fasted the night before. The Heart and Vascular Institute staff will get you ready for your procedure. You will have an IV placed in your hand or arm, so you can receive fluids as well as medicine to help you relax. Your groin area will be shaved prior to the procedure, and you may watch a short video about the procedure. When you go to the procedure room, the doctor will use local anesthesia to numb the skin over the artery in your groin. You will be given some medication through your IV to relax you. The doctor will then place a short catheter, called a sheath, into the artery. Long, thin, hollow, plastic tubes called catheters are then inserted through the sheath. When the catheter is in place, dye is injected into the artery while an x-ray movie is made. For peripheral procedures, you may also have a stent placed. You probably won’t feel these pictures being taken. When the doctor is finished taking pictures, the catheters are removed. The sheath is then removed by one of the cath lab staff, and you will be asked to lie in bed for about two hours afterward. The total time you will spend at the clinic for your procedure and recovery is probably about six hours.
What about the test results?
Your doctor will speak with you before you go home the day of your test. He or she will also speak with a family member if you wish. You can discuss the results of the test and develop a plan together. Depending on the location and severity of any blockages, your doctor may recommend medication, angioplasty/stent, or surgery. Angioplasty, stenting, and surgery can be scheduled at LRMC. If there are no blockages, you may follow up with your primary care doctor to discuss other reasons for your symptoms. A copy of the test results will be sent to your family doctor as well as your surgeon or cardiologist.
When can I go back to work?
It is recommended that for 2 days following your procedure, you do not do heavy lifting, bending, or driving. After this time, most people can resume their previous level of activity.
What if I have more questions?
You can always call your doctor if you have questions about your health. If you have questions about your catheterization, you may call the Heart and Vascular Institute staff at 863-680-7707 from 7:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday.
Contact person: Kimberly Dean, RN, Manager 863-680-7437
Vein Procedures
Varicose veins occur when the vein malfunctions, restricts blood flow, and enlarges through the surface of the skin as a result. An unsightly bulging, twisted appearance is not the only undesired effect that occurs when a vein becomes varicose. There can also be significant discomfort such as aching, heaviness and fatigue, and if left untreated, it can result in inflammation, blood clots, bleeding and ulcer formation.
Depending upon the severity of the condition and the desired result, we recommend you schedule an office visit with our Vein Center team and let them develop a treatment plan specific to your needs. There are a variety of treatment options available to both men and women:
- Vnus is a popular non-surgical procedure which utilizes a special catheter that emits radiofrequency energy once inserted into the faulty veins. The RF energy shrinks the collagen in the vein wall and causes the vein to close. Vnus requires only a small entry point, and results in little or no pain and minimal downtime. Patients are usually active within a day following the procedure.
- EVLT, or EndoVenous Laser Treatment, is a non-surgical option for eliminating unsightly and painful varicose veins at the source through targeted laser energy. The diseased veins shut quickly, in a procedure that generally lasts about an hour. Downtime is minimal following an EVLT procedure, with little or no resulting discomfort.
- A Phlebectomy procedure is often chosen for patients who are not appropriate for Vnus or EVLT. A series of very small incisions are made at the site of the vein, at which point a small hook is inserted and used to remove the faulty vein from under the skin. Compression stockings are usually worn for two to three weeks following the procedure, though normal activities can resume within 24 hours.
- Sclerotherapy treats varicose and spider veins through a medicinal injection that works to shrink the vein at its root. This option is usually reserved for purely cosmetic purposes.
For more information or to schedule a consultation to determine which procedure may be best for you, please call
The Vein Center at Watson Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute at 680-7003, option 1.
Spinal Procedures
Fractures of the spine – also referred to as vertebral compression fractures (VCF) – are among the most painful and debilitating of conditions. They are also among the most common, as more than 700,000 cases are reported in the United States every year.
The ill effects of VCFs are by no means limited to back pain, as they are also associated with a host of additional conditions, including physical impairment, gastric dysfunction, diminished lung function, sleep disorders, and deformity. The compression created on the chest and abdomen hinders normal activity making it difficult to complete such everyday activities as walking, eating and sleeping.
A spinal fracture, or VCF, can occur from trauma or cancer, but by far the most common cause result from osteoporosis. Osteoporosis often causes the bones of the spine to collapse creating debilitating back pain and stooped posture. Now, Watson Clinic’s specialists offer the following three procedures that promote pain relief, straightened posture and the ability to resume normal activity levels for patients suffering from VCF.
- Vertebroplasty is typically an outpatient procedure. During this procedure, a needle is inserted through the skin and into the crushed or fractured vertebral body. Acrylic bone cement is slowly injected into the bone. This cement hardens and stabilizes the fractured body, providing almost immediate pain relief for most patients.
- Balloon kyphoplasty, also referred to as balloon-assisted vertebroplasty, is a technique that involves the introduction of inflatable bone tamps (balloons) into the vertebral body. Once inflated, the tamps attempt to restore the vertebral body back to its original height while creating a cavity that is then filled with bone cement.
- Structural kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure performed for more active individuals. Small wafers, made from a biocompatible polymer and inserted one at a time, are implanted in the fractured vertebra along with a small amount of cement attempting to correct and further stabilize the fracture.
For more information or patient referrals for vertebral compression fracture treatments, please call Watson Clinic’s Heart & Vascular Institute at 863-680-7840 or pain management specialists at 680-7300.
Staff
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Invasive Cardiologists:
Kevin Browne Jr, MD
John Canto, MD
Douglas Ebersole, MD
Jorge Gonzalez, MD
Neal Kavesh, MD
Joseph Massaro, DO
Mark Mines, MD
Christopher Simek, MD
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Interventional Radiologists:
John Bradshaw, MD
Evan Chambers, MD
Carol Ebersole, MD
Vascular Surgeon
Lawrence Sowka, MD
Providers
Elizabeth Brown, ARNP-C
Marc Emerson, PA-C |
Hours
7:00 am - 4:30
Monday - Friday
Phone 863-680-7707
Location
1600 Lakeland Hills Blvd.
Lakeland, FL 33805