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Premier Vascular Center of Maryland is a full-service vascular access center in the Baltimore area. Our team of certified, experienced staff ensure to provide comprehensive vascular care services in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. We treat your medical needs at all stages of life, working closely with you to help you achieve your best physical state possible. Our unique benefits include:
Wounds can happen anywhere on the body and come in two main types: acute and chronic. Acute wounds are typically caused by an unexpected injury, but they usually heal normally at an expected rate. When an acute wound fails to heal during an average time frame, it can become a chronic wound. Chronic wounds typically require special wound care treatment. If your wound has not improved after a few weeks, you should consider wound care treatment. Wound healing can be impeded by things like infection, pressure on the wound, swelling, and lack of blood flow.
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is common after a traumatic event like a work injury or motor vehicle accident. Compression of the blood vessels or nerves in the space under your collarbone cause TOS.
TOS can also develop from repetitive activity. If your job or lifestyle requires you to repeat a movement continuously — such as lifting things or typing — your body’s tissue can wear over time, causing compressed nerves and blood vessels. Athletes like swimmers and baseball pitchers can also develop TOS from years of repeated movements. Even consistently poor posture can lead to TOS, as holding your head in a forward position and drooping your shoulders can cause compression in the thoracic outlet area.
Pregnant women and people with joint issues are also more susceptible to TOS.
Common symptoms of TOS include the following:
Have questions about our services? Want to learn more about vascular health? Browse the Frequently Asked Questions section of our website to learn more about vascular care and what Premier Vascular Center of Maryland has to offer.
At your first appointment with Premier Vascular Center of Maryland, you will need to bring the following:
Signs that you may need to see a vascular surgeon include:
Doppler Ultrasound
A unique ultrasound technique, a Doppler bounces high-frequency sound waves off circulating red blood cells to estimate blood flow through a blood vessel. The ultrasound machine measures the echoes that bounce back from the red blood cells. Cells that are moving away from the sound waves make different echoes than cells that are moving towards the sound waves. This is called the Doppler effect, named after the scientist who discovered it. The “Doppler” part of this examination refers to the sound waves that are created during the test.
Doppler ultrasound can check for diseases or conditions that may affect the amount, speed, and direction of blood flow in different parts of your body. It can help find narrowed arteries, blood clots, and other conditions.
This noninvasive test may help identify:
A complete Doppler examination takes approximately 45 minutes to an hour to perform. A specially-trained sonographer will carry out the procedure before a vascular physician reviews it.
Duplex Ultrasound
Duplex ultrasound is a noninvasive test that evaluates the flow of blood through your veins and arteries. Duplex ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to generate images of blood flow within the arteries and veins. The results from this test help your vascular surgeon outline a treatment plan and make a sound diagnosis.
Types of Duplex Ultrasound
The types of duplex ultrasound exams vary and can include:
What to Expect
An ultrasound probe (also called a transducer) is moved gently over the area being tested. You may feel some pressure at times, but should not experience any pain. This wand sends out the ultrasound waves. A computer measures how the sound waves reflect back, and changes the sound waves into pictures. You may hear a “swishing” sound, which is the sound of your blood moving through the arteries and veins.
You need to stay still during the exam. You may be asked to lie in different body positions, or to take a deep breath and hold it.
Sometimes during the lower extremity arterial duplex, the technologist may calculate an ankle-brachial index (ABI). You will need to wear blood pressure cuffs on your arms and legs for this test.