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The Vascular Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston is comprised of multi-specialty physicians focused on treating patients with vascular disease. Vascular surgeons, cardiologists, interventional radiologists, podiatrists and infectious disease specialists provide patients with comprehensive and state-of-the-art care.
Our physicians evaluate each unique patient with expertise from many different fields. We do this so that we can provide our patients with a comprehensive evaluation that encompasses all elements of vascular medicine and care plan that emphasizes efficacy and efficiency, while reducing risk. We provide compassionate care and treat each patient as we would one of our own family members.
Clinical Services
We treat patients with a wide range of vascular diseases, which include problems that affect arterial circulation (Peripheral Arterial Disease or PAD), venous circulation and wound healing. For more detail on some of the specific issues related to vascular diseases and how we care for them, please read below:
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
PAD is a vascular disease caused by blocked arteries that may reduce blood flow to the legs, brain, intestines or kidneys. PAD can lead to symptoms that impact daily life (leg pain with walking, also known as claudication) and can cause kidney damage (caused by renal artery disease), skin damage such as ulcers and gangrene (caused by PAD in leg arteries) and stroke (caused by disease in the carotid arteries). PAD can also lead to a weakening of the large arteries of the body making them prone to dilation and rupture (aneurysm).
PAD can often be treated with medications, exercise and smoking cessation plans. In cases that need other interventions, our multidisciplinary team will work with you to choose the safest and most effective treatment tailored to your individual need. These treatments may include minimally invasive catheter based procedures (angioplasty, stenting, stent grafting and atherectomy) and surgical reconstructions including bypass surgery and endarterectomy. We also specialize in complex primary and re-operative surgical procedures.
Chronic Venous Disease
Veins are responsible for directing blood from the legs and arms back to the heart. Venous disease can occur when the veins are damaged or blocked by blood clots or scar tissue. It also occurs when the veins dilate over time, preventing the efficient return of blood to the heart. Damaged veins may begin to leak fluid, leading to swollen, discolored legs and skin breakdown. Untreated venous disease can lead to skin infections, blood clots and severe leg swelling (edema) which can dramatically affect quality of life.
Most often, venous disease is treated conservatively with weight loss, skin care and compression stockings. In some cases minimally invasive interventions or surgery may be recommended. These treatments can include endovenous thermal ablation (radiofrequency or laser), ambulatory phlebectomy, sclerotherapy, vein stripping, venous aneurysm repair, venous bypass, vein valve reconstruction, venous stenting, central venous recannalization and IVC filter placement and retrieval. Learn more by visiting our Vein Center.
 Watch the CVC's Mark Iafrati, MD discuss venous disease and potential dangers if the disease progresses on our tuftsmedicalcenter.tv website.
Wound Healing: Most wounds resulting from surgery or from the trauma of daily living will heal quickly and safely. However many people have wounds which fail to heal for a number of reasons. Poor blood flow, diabetes, kidney disease, infection, immune diseases, prior radiation treatment, orthopedic issues and a number of other factors are commonly identified in patients with non-healing wounds. If not attended to appropriately, these challenging wounds can worsen, resulting in additional pain, immobility and in the most severe cases, gangrene and limb loss.
We provide careful attention to the whole patient providing by providing not only state of the art wound care but also a comprehensive approach to all of the factors affecting wound healing. Treatments may include correction of arterial or venous diseases, local wound care with routine and advanced wound care products (including hydrogels, hydrocolloids, silver products, iodine products, collagen, human skin equivalents, skin grafts, flaps, etc); physical therapy assessments and treatments, podiatric treatments to correct issues with abnormal pressure or gait, nutritional assessments and a review of general medial issues and medications. Learn more about our Vascular, Wound and Hyperbaric Center.
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Services
Our team offers an integrative approach to diagnosing patients through our CardioVascular Imaging Center. We provide a full array of state-of-the-art diagnostic services, including:
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Non-Invasive Vascular Hemodynamics and Duplex Ultrasound Imaging
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Computed Tomographic Angiography (CTA)
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Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)
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Catheter Directed Digital Angiography
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Intervascular Ultrasound
Our team also offers a number of catheter based (endovascular) medical therapeutic services to our patients, including:
- Angioplasty
- Stent and Stent Graft (for PAD and Aneurysms)
- Plaque Excision
- Laser Plaque Ablation
- Rotational Atherectomy
Our state-of-the art Hybrid OR Suite is an “imaging OR” that combines the latest in catheterization and OR technology. Our surgeons and interventionalists perform some of our most advanced therapeutic procedures in the Hybrid OR, including trans-catheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), complex aortic endovascular repair and minimally-invasive coronary revascularization.
Vascular Center Experts
The Vascular Center Surgeons are at the top of their field in providing experienced and personalized care to patients. Learn more about these world-class surgeons:
Mark D. Iafrati, MD, Director
James E. Estes, MD
William C. Mackey, MD
Thomas F. O'Donnell, MD
Noah Rosen, MD
Our Center is able to provide state of the art therapeutic and diagnostic technologies thanks to our outstanding Interventional Radiologists. Learn more about these essential physicians:
Neil Halin, DO, Associate Director
David Allen, MD
Kevin Daly, MD
Joseph F. Polak, MD, MPH
E. Kent Yucel, MD
The Center also has a committed and innovative Interventional Cardiologist who provides both surgical and non-surgical methods for treating coronary artery disease and obstructive valvular heart disease. Read about him below:
Andrew R. Weintraub, MD, Associate Director
Collectively this group bring together over 200 years of experience. All members of this team are board certified in their specialty and are members/leaders of some of the most important medical and surgical organizations in the world including:
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American College of Cardiology
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American College of Phlebology
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American College of Radiology
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American College of Surgeons
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American Heart Association
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American Medical Association
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American Society of Angiology
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American Venous Forum
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Association of Military Surgeons of the United States
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Massachusetts Medical Society
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New England Society of Interventional Radiology
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New England Society for Vascular Surgery
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Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society
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Radiological Society of North America
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Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons
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Society of Clinical Vascular Surgeons
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Society of Interventional Radiology
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Society for Vascular Surgery
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Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society
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Wound Healing Society
To make an appointment with one of our experts, please call 617-636-5019.
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