Clinical OverviewResearch OverviewTrainingPatient and Physician Contact

 Clinical Overview

The vascular service at Emory University Hospital and the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center consists of seven clinical faculty, five physician assistants/nurse practitioners, four vascular surgery fellows, and two PGY-4s, two PGY-2s, and one PGY-1 general surgery resident. Building on a foundation of over 75 years of providing comprehensive operative, endovascular, and medical therapy for all forms of venous and arterial disease, the clinical arm of the division has established itself as a premier center of excellence and innovation in such areas as:

		Treatment of carotid artery disease to prevent stroke.
		Management of thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
		Treatment of peripheral arterial disease of renal, mesenteric, and lower extremity arteries.
		Therapeutic interventions for acute venous thrombosis and chronic venous insufficiency.
		Sophisticated diagnostic imaging services at the nationally-accredited Emory Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory, including duplex ultrasound, segmental pressure and velocity waveform studies.

During the past year, the division cared for 8,591 patients in its outpatient clinics; 4,962 patients in its non-invasive vascular labs; and performed major vascular and endovascular surgeries on 2,261 patients, including over 350 aortic aneurysm repairs, 200 carotid artery interventions, and 300 reconstructive procedures for lower extremity arterial disease.

 Research Overview

Supported by four clinical research coordinators, the division's clinical research program is investigating endovascular therapy for thoracic and abdominal aneurysms, new minimally invasive strategies for treatment of arterial and venous disease including carotid angioplasty and stenting, and new drug therapies for all forms of vascular disease.

The basic science research program has received over 14 million dollars of funding from the NIH over the past 10 years. Other sponsors include the NSF and the JDRF. The program is integrated with the Department of Biomedical Engineering at both Georgia Tech and Emory and the Department of Chemistry at Emory University. Projects are ongoing in the areas of reparative medicine, organ fabrication, and the design of engineered living systems.

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 Postgraduate Training

The residency in vascular surgery and endovascular therapy at Emory was one of the first programs in the U.S. established to provide advanced postgraduate training for the care of the patient with vascular disease. For those residents interested in pursuing a career in vascular surgery, the division sponsors a single two-year ACGME-approved vascular residency focusing on surgical and endovascular therapy for venous and arterial disease, vascular medicine, and vascular diagnostics.

The number of major operations performed over a two year period by each of the residents who have graduated during the last three years, as percentiled against all vascular surgery residents in the United States, are summarized as follows: YR 2007: (723) 90%, (766) 95%, YR 2006: (665) 80%, YR 2005: (737) 95%. Over the past 15 years, 40% of the program's fellows have pursued academic careers and many are now division heads and program directors.

Residency inquiries should be directed to Elliot L. Chaikof, MD, PhD, or Valerie Panditaratne, administrative assistant for the residency program, at 404.727.8413. Applications are only accepted through the ERAS system.

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 Patient and Physician Contact Information

Referring physicians should contact either the division's clinical coordinator Julie Bumgardner, RN, NP, 404.778.3022, or the Emory Consultation Center of The Emory Clinic at 404.778.5050 or 800.22.EMORY. Prospective patients can contact either the division's clinical offices at 404.778.3172 or Emory HealthConnection at 404.778.7777 or 800.75.EMORY. Detailed clinical information is also available on the division's clinical website of Emory Healthcare.

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