Carotid Artery Disease Carotid artery disease occurs when the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the brain become narrowed. As with other vascular diseases, narrowing of the carotid arteries is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis, sometimes referred to as hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is a gradual process in which cholesterol accumulates to form a plaque that clogs the blood vessels. Carotid artery disease can cause a stroke if blood flow is cut off, leading brain cells to die and impairing body parts that those brain cells control.

Claudication Claudication is pain or discomfort felt in the legs during walking. The word claudication is derived from the Latin word claudicatio, which means "to limp." Claudication is a symptom of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Claudication occurs when the arteries in your legs do not receive enough blood and oxygen due to narrowed or blocked arteries. In most cases, this blockage is caused by atherosclerosis.

Coarctation of the Aorta in Children Coarctation of the aorta is when the largest blood vessel in the body is narrowed. This narrowing makes it difficult for blood to reach the lower body. The symptoms depend on the severity of the narrowing. Newborns with a severe narrowing may be in shock with no blood flow to the legs, kidneys and intestines. If mild, older children may be diagnosed by weak leg pulses or an elevated blood pressure in their arms. Treatment The pediatric cardiac surgeons are able to enlarge a severely narrowed aorta with surgical treatment.

Coarctation of the Aorta Transcatheter Repair Coarctation of the aorta is an abnormal narrowing of the aorta. The aorta is the large blood vessel that exits the heart and supplies the body with oxygen-rich blood. Transcatheter dilation is a type of procedure that can treat the abnormal narrowing of the aorta without the need for open heart surgery. Learn More

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery (CABG) Coronary artery bypass graft surgery – most commonly referred to as "bypass surgery" and sometimes called CABG (pronounced "cabbage") – is a common heart surgery that reroutes, or bypasses, blood around clogged arteries to improve blood flow and oxygen to the heart. Blocked arteries can slow or stop blood flow through the heart's blood vessels, leading to chest pain or a heart attack. Increasing blood flow to the heart muscle can relieve chest pain and reduce the risk of heart attack.

Coronary Artery Disease Coronary artery disease (CAD) – also known as coronary heart disease – often results from the accumulation of fatty deposits or plaque within the coronary arteries. These fatty deposits may develop as early as in childhood and continue to thicken and change. This thickening, called atherosclerosis, narrows the arteries and can decrease or block the flow of blood to the heart. The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle. Like all other tissues in the body, the heart muscle needs oxygen-rich blood to function, and oxygen-depleted blood must be carried away.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious condition in which a thrombus, or blood clot, develops within a deep vein, usually in a leg. These clots can travel through the bloodstream to the brain, heart or lungs, potentially causing a life-threatening event. DVT affects approximately 300,000 adults per year, approximately half of whom have no symptoms.

Diabetic Foot Problems People with diabetes need to pay particular attention to caring for their feet as they are susceptible to nerve damage, poor circulation, and infection. Treatment is based on the patient's specific condition. This often means controlling the infection in the foot with antibiotics or, for more severe cases, surgery to drain the infection. If vascular disease is present, you may undergo one or more tests, such as duplex ultrasound or arteriography and your doctor may recommend open surgery or endovascular surgery to re-establish normal blood flow to the foot.

Dialysis Access for Hemodialysis Patients with kidney failure may need to undergo dialysis (cleaning of the blood) to survive. Hemodialysis is a mechanical method of dialysis, which uses a machine to filter wastes from the blood. There are three different types of accesses for hemodialysis, each with advantages and disadvantages: AV Fistula Expand Content AV fistula is when a vein is surgically connected to an artery, allowing a large amount of blood to flow through the vein.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Programs at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute and Inova Children’s Hospital provides life-saving support to adults, children and neonates with severe cardiac or respiratory failure. What is ECMO? ECMO, an advanced form of life support for critically ill patients, is a modified form of cardiopulmonary bypass that temporarily supports the lungs and heart in patients failing conventional treatments.