Vascular Disease

Vascular disease: Our approach to care

Our specialists can care for all forms of vascular disease, including uncommon and complex conditions. We help you get answers to unexplained symptoms, and we offer treatment to relieve your discomfort and protect your health.

Whether your doctor refers you or you come to us directly, you can expect:

• World-class expertise: Our board-certified specialists have advanced training and years of experience. We bring you the latest advancements in diagnosis and treatment from up-to-the-minute research. Our specialists include vascular surgeons, vascular medicine specialists, cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and interventional radiologists.
• Legacy of innovation: Our vascular surgeons are pioneers in innovative treatments for vascular disease. We were the first in Michigan to perform a minimally invasive aortic repair called EVAR and continue to expand its use. Our cardiac and vascular surgeons are internationally known for their work with blocked arteries. Our specialists continue to look at the choice of treatment and when to give it, for the best possible results.
• Individualized treatment: Minimally invasive options are increasingly available, but the approach isn’t always a good fit. We still offer expertise in open surgery, an option not always available elsewhere. Using thorough evaluations, our specialists focus on your unique situation. We have the expertise to help you find the most effective and longest-lasting approach.
• Dedicated vein center: Henry Ford offers the only comprehensive program in southeast and south central Michigan for managing vein disease. It’s also one of the few centers of its kind in the country. We bring together experts from various specialties to offer high-quality care, for even the most complex cases.
• Nationally accredited testing: Our specialized vascular labs offer superior quality and accuracy, with certified technologists dedicated to top imaging. Together with our radiology and cardiac catheterization programs, we offer all the tests needed to diagnose vascular conditions and rule out other possibilities. We know how to interpret results so you get the right treatment.

What is vascular disease?

Vascular disease describes conditions and disorders that affect the circulatory system, which includes the:

• Arteries, which carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body
• Veins, which bring blood from the body’s tissues back to the heart and lungs to pick up oxygen
• Lymphatic system of vessels and small organs (nodes) that circulate lymphatic fluid throughout the body to fight diseases and remove unwanted substances

Like heart disease, vascular disease can cause illness and death. But with early diagnosis and proper treatment, you can feel better and protect your health. You can also prevent serious complications such as blood clots, stroke, gangrene (tissue death) and limb loss.

Vascular conditions we treat

At Henry Ford, we treat all types of vascular disease, from common conditions to rare disorders and from mild cases to severe forms. You have access to the full range of testing you need, and receive a treatment plan customized to your health needs.

Heart & Vascular physicians provide care for all vascular conditions except those that occur in the brain. Our Cerebrovascular Center manages care for those conditions.

For other blood and lymph vessels, our vascular team includes vascular surgeons, cardiac surgeons, cardiologists and vascular medicine specialists. For certain minimally invasive treatments, we coordinate your care with Henry Ford interventional radiologists.

Arterial disease

Our vascular team diagnoses and treats artery diseases such as:

• Aortic aneurysm
• Aortic dissection
• Carotid artery disease
• Coronary artery disease (CAD)
• Peripheral artery disease
• Raynaud’s disease, severe, temporary narrowing of arteries (vasospasm), usually in fingers or toes, due to cold or stress
• Renal artery stenosis, narrowing of arteries that supply blood to the kidneys
• Subclavian steal syndrome, inadequate blood supply to the brain and an arm due to blockage in an artery supplying blood to both

Venous disease

Vein conditions we diagnose and treat include:

• Chronic venous insufficiency, also called postphlebitic or postthrombotic syndrome
• Spider veins
• Superficial thrombophlebitis, a blood clot in a vein near the skin’s surface that causes inflammation
• Varicose veins
• Venous thromboembolism, which includes deep vein thrombosis  and pulmonary embolism 
• Venous ulcers, open skin sores caused by poor blood flow in leg veins
• Pelvic congestion syndrome, chronic pelvic pain caused by pooled blood in pelvis veins

Blockages caused by vein compression

Venous compression syndromes develop when major veins are compressed by nearby structures, which can reduce blood flow or cause a blood clot. Some of the syndromes we diagnose and treat include:

• Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome, a congenital (present since birth) disorder that causes red birthmarks and abnormal development of certain veins, tissues and bones
• May-Thurner syndrome, compression of the left iliac vein, which returns blood from the left leg to the heart
• Nutcracker syndrome, compression of the left kidney vein
• Paget-Schroetter syndrome, a type of thoracic outlet syndrome, compression of veins in the armpit or shoulder

Other vascular diseases

Our specialists diagnose and treat other vascular diseases such as:

• High blood pressure (hypertension) that doesn’t respond to treatment
• High cholesterol
• Lymphedema
• Vasculitis, inflammation of arteries or veins

Related conditions

Our vascular team works with other Henry Ford specialists for related conditions and their symptoms, such as:

• Problematic wounds, including those related to diabetes and peripheral artery disease

Expert imaging to diagnose and monitor vascular disease

Since 1977, the Clinical Vascular Laboratories at Henry Ford have offered the most advanced imaging available for all types of vascular disease. Our certified vascular technologists have extensive training and specialize in evaluating all blood vessel issues.

You have access to Henry Ford specialists in radiology and cardiac catheterization for other imaging, including minimally invasive tests to see inside blood vessels. Together, our vascular imaging and radiology teams provide fast, accurate results and expert interpretation — helping your doctors customize your treatment plan.

Find out more about our imaging for diagnosis and monitoring:

• Vascular testing in our nationally accredited labs
• Imaging and radiology
• Cardiac catheterization (cath) lab

Comprehensive treatment for vascular disease

At Henry Ford, our vascular disease specialists have the expertise to treat every type of vascular disease, including uncommon and complex cases. If you’ve developed complications from previous treatment elsewhere, we can help.

We have options for you even if you’ve been told that the condition is too complex for treatment. Learn more about the exceptional care you’ll receive at Henry Ford:

• Cardiology (heart care)
• Heart surgery
• Multidisciplinary Aorta Program
• Vascular medicine
• Vascular surgery
• Vein Center