The Vascular Center of Excellence at Iowa Methodist Medical Center is committed to early diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease.

When Bill Davis, 71, went to an orthopaedic specialist in 2008 to discuss elbow pain impacting his tennis game, he never imagined treatment of that condition would have to wait for even more immediate medical needs. Diagnostic testing before arm surgery to relieve pressure on his ulnar nerve revealed two very serious health conditions: a thoracic aortic aneurysm and early-stage prostate cancer.

"I was worried about the cancer, but learned the aneurysm was a greater concern," says Bill. "I received treatment for two life-threatening conditions in addition to my sore elbow and could not be more pleased with the care I received at Iowa Methodist, which got me back to work and life more quickly."

Vascular Center of Excellence

Douglas Massop, MD, vascular surgeon at The Iowa Clinic, found Bill was an ideal candidate for an endograft procedure to place covered stents at the site of the aneurysm to support the walls of the aorta, preventing expansion and rupture. The endograft is placed via catheter through a ½-inch incision in the groin, resulting in a onenight hospital stay and a faster recovery than conventional surgery.

"New technology at the Vascular Center of Excellence at Iowa Methodist allows us to perform multiple, different advanced procedures with less discomfort and quicker recoveries for patients," says Dr. Massop. "We have organized the continuum of care at Iowa Methodist's Vascular Center for optimal results."