New Division Treats All Aspects Of Vascular Disease

Nearly 30 percent of senior citizens over age 70 have vascular disease, according to the new chief of the Division of Vascular Surgery.

As the baby boomers age, the number of Mississippians with vascular disease will likely increase since aging, as well as smoking, diabetes and high cholesterol, contribute to the disease.

The new Division of Vascular Surgery will help the Medical Center be better prepared to care for this growing patient population. With many Mississippians suffering from risk factors associated with vascular disease, Dr. Marc Mitchell, associate professor of surgery, said the need for a specialized division is important.

Vascular surgeons operate on all blood vessels, except in the brain and the heart, and are trained in the medical management, endovascular and surgical treatment of vascular disease.

“We can do it all here. We are the ones who can treat every aspect of vascular disease,” he said.

Mitchell joined the faculty in May to lead the new division in the Department of Surgery. He earned the BS at the University of Georgia in 1980 and the MD at Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1984. Mitchell completed a surgical residency at the University of California in San Francisco and did a fellowship in the surgery branch of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in 1988.

He also completed his general surgical residency at the Medical Center in 1991 and a vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. Prior to joining the Medical Center faculty, Mitchell was chief of surgery at the Philadelphia Veteran Affairs Medical Center and an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Dr. William Turner, chair and Hardy Professor of Surgery, said Mitchell has been “a marvelous recruitment.” He said Mitchell and Dr. Fred Rushton, professor of surgery, will bring recognition to the department through the new division.

“It puts our program at the forefront of technology and enables us to deliver state-of-the-art patient care,” he said. “Dr. Mitchell is a superb surgeon, and he joins Dr. Rushton, who is also a wonderful surgeon.”

Mitchell said vascular surgery evolved from general surgery. As technology became more advanced and more people were diagnosed with the disease, vascular surgery became a specialized field.

Patients with vascular disease who seek treatment at the Medical Center will have one physician who can manage their illness and operate, if necessary, rather than having multiple specialists involved, Mitchell said.

Turner said that the new division will be an important part of the Medical Center’s tradition of providing the best in health care to Mississippians.

“This is what we ought to be doing. This is what we’re good at,” he said.

—    Patrice Sawyer Guilfoyle (12-12-05)

2005-12-09 00:00:00 2769