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.

Heart Attack (Acute Myocardial Infarction) A heart attack, also known as an acute myocardial infarction (acute MI) is a medical emergency that occurs when blood supplied to the heart is blocked, causing heart cells to die and damaging the heart muscle. Heart attacks are often caused by coronary artery disease, a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries, eventually blocking blood flow to the heart. Immediate treatment is crucial during a heart attack, as more heart tissue loses oxygen and dies with each passing minute.

High Blood Pressure/Hypertension High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a condition where the arteries have an increased resistance against the flow of blood, causing the heart to pump harder to circulate the blood. Usually high blood pressure has no signs or symptoms. However, you can know if your blood pressure is high by having it checked regularly by your healthcare provider. View Video Is My Blood Pressure Normal?

High Cholesterol There's a lot of news about cholesterol these days, and with good reason. High cholesterol can contribute to heart disease, which kills more Americans than all cancers combined. Cholesterol is a waxy, fatlike substance that your body – mainly the liver – produces. Cholesterol is used to make some hormones, vitamin D and bile acids, which help to digest fat. Cholesterol also is used to build healthy cell membranes in the brain, nerves, muscles, skin, liver, intestines and heart. It only takes a small amount of cholesterol to meet all these needs. Your body makes enough.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a device that monitors and moderates your heart rate. It uses batteries to send electric signals to a heart that’s beating too slow, similar to a pacemaker. The device can detect irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and deliver a jolt of electricity to return your heartbeat to a normal.

Lymphedema Lymphedema is a common cause of leg and arm swelling due to the collection of too much lymph fluid caused by damage to the delicate vessels that hold the lymph fluid, called lymphatics. Lymph fluid accumulates in the tissues of the arm or leg and causes swelling when the lymphatics system is damaged. Common causes of lymphatic damage include: Surgery or radiation to treat cancer Infection Injury Post-surgery onset Obesity When the lymphedema is due to one of these causes, it is called secondary lymphedema.

Maze Procedure The Maze procedure has revolutionized care for patients who live with atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, who have significant, frequent AFib symptoms that do not respond to medication or traditional ablation. Maze is a surgical ablation approach that creates a 3-dimensional maze of incisions to form scar tissue that blocks the abnormal electrical patterns responsible for the arrhythmia (AFib).