Virginia Interventional & Vascular Associates (VIVA) can diagnose all vascular conditions and offer the optimum treatment for them, from minimally invasive procedures to major surgery. VIVA physicians attribute this capability to the group’s practice model, which combines the expertise of interventional radiologists, vascular surgeons, and a vascular lab.
“We can provide start-to-finish care for any vascular problem, including diagnostic imaging and appropriate therapy, from open surgery to modern endovascular surgical care and post-procedure care,” said R. Donald Doherty, Jr., MD, interventional radiologist with VIVA.
VIVA is the interventional radiology and vascular surgery practice of Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg. The group’s board-certified, fellowship-trained interventional radiologists are Michael P. McDermott, MD, who heads the practice, and John J. McLaughlin, MD, Dr. Doherty, John D. Statler, MD, and John D. Gleason, MD. VIVA physicians are Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) certified or CAQ eligible.
The group also includes the community’s only board-certified vascular surgeon, Victor J. D’Addio, MD, FACS, and vascular surgeon Larry Koenig, MD. Dr. Koenig joined VIVA in July and is in the process of obtaining board certification.
Dr. D’Addio and Dr. Koenig completed two-year fellowships in vascular surgery following their general surgery residencies. VIVA’s interventional radiologists completed a four-year diagnostic radiology residency and an additional year of fellowship training in imaging-guided, minimally invasive procedures.
This training enhances their qualifications for treating vascular conditions and, in many cases, translates into greater experience handling vascular procedures locally. For example, Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) statistics indicate that Dr. D’Addio performed 165 of the total 239 carotid endarterectomy procedures at MWHC facilities from 2007 to 2009, and 40 of the total 56 lower extremity bypass procedures at MWHC facilities from January 2010 to June 2010.
“Since Dr. Koenig’s arrival in July, VIVA has been treating a growing vascular surgery caseload,” Dr. D’Addio said. “We perform procedures at Mary Washington Hospital, Stafford Hospital, Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, and VIVA’s outpatient center in Fredericksburg.”
One example of VIVA’s complete vascular care is its management of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition that can increase the risks of heart attack, stroke, or amputation.
VIVA’s vascular ultrasound lab evaluates patients for PAD using an ankle-brachial index and other tests. The lab is accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL) and staffed by registered vascular technologists. VIVA’s interventional radiologists interpret the results. For the past ten years, VIVA physicians have participated in Legs for Life®, a national program that provides free PAD screenings each September.
When a patient is diagnosed with PAD, depending upon his or her condition, VIVA physicians may recommend lifestyle changes; front-line treatments for PAD, including surgical bypass or angioplasty and stenting; and/or relatively new procedures, including atherectomy, cryoplasty, or subintimal recanalization.
Atherectomy, for example, removes arterial plaque to improve blood flow. VIVA physicians use a plaque excision system or a laser catheter to create an open channel in affected arteries. Dr. Statler of VIVA reported that, in selected patient cases, directional atherectomy has advantages over other procedures, most notably its use in challenging anatomic locations.
For additional information about VIVA’s vascular services, contact Dr. D’Addio at daddio@vivassociates.com, Dr. Doherty at doherty@vivassociates.com, phone (540) 654-9118, or visit www.vivassociates.com.
Pictured above is Vascular Surgeon Victor J. D’Addio, MD, performs an outpatient procedure at VIVA.