OVERVIEW
The surgeons in the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at BWH manage a large active clinical practice in vascular disease, with over 6,000 clinic visits per year. The Division performs over 1,500 open vascular cases per year, including carotid endarterectomies, aneurysms, lower extremity revascularizations, open hemodialysis access cases, varicose vein procedures, and a large array of miscellaneous complex vascular procedures.
Our energetic and distinguished faculty are committed to clinical care, investigational research and teaching. In addition to a large number of trainees on the service, the Division employs 3 physician assistants, 2 clinical research coordinators, a biostatistician, and a full-time clinical database manager utilizing platforms such as an internal database (tracking all procedures including patient demographics/medical history and clinical outcomes dating back to the 1970s), the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, and the VQI Vascular Study Group of New England.
Research
The research conducted by vascular and endovascular surgeons at BWH examines the risks and symptoms of vascular diseases as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment options.
- Diverse areas of investigation include:
- minimally invasive therapies
- multidisciplinary approach to reducing diabetic foot complications
- pathophysiology of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and complications of hypertension and chronic venous disease
- links between dietary restriction, adipose biology and vascular adaptations, and robust analyses of the longitudinal interplay between local hemodynamic factors and biologic mediators
- surgical outcomes
- Our surgeons have extensive experience conducting both industry and investigator-initiated clinical trials. Active or recently completed clinical studies include:
- Best Endovascular versus Surgical Therapy in patients with Critical Limb Ischemia (BEST-CLI). Multicenter, randomized trial comparing endovascular versus open revascularization in patients with CLI. This trial is the only National Institutes of Health-sponsored randomized, controlled trial ever undertaken to study advanced peripheral arterial disease, which remains a tremendous burden to our nation’s health care system.
- AnGes: Phase II double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study to assess the efficacy and safety of hepatocyte growth factor plasmid gene therapy to improve ulcer healing and perfusion in patients with peripheral ischemic ulcers of the lower extremity
- Humacyte Inc. Trials:
- Two multicenter (006, 007), randomized phase III trials comparing the human acellular vessel (HAV) to either standard AVG grafts or the autologous arteriovenous fistula.
- One phase II, NIH sponsored, multicenter, single-arm trial evaluating safety and efficacy of HAV as a conduit for femoral to above knee popliteal bypass surgery.
- The Division has two separate, externally funded laboratories with extensive basic research infrastructure including a high-end survival microsurgery suite ( Kahlil Lab and Dr. Ozaki Lab). The research laboratories employ 2 full-time research faculty and research pre- and post-doctoral trainees. Methodologies include processing and studying (tissue culture, cell sorting, RNA and protein studies, vascular physiology, histology, immunofluorescence and digital microscopy) fresh human samples and animal models.
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital Vascular Clinical and Outcomes Research (VCOR). VCOR performs “outcomes and translational research” where they intersect clinical outcomes with economic analysis. Currently the two major foci of research are the socioeconomics of disparities in health care and the economics of health care delivery.