William Chambers, MD; Medical Director of Vascular Surgery

Vascular surgery is a surgical specialty in which diseases of the vascular system, or arteries and veins, are managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures, and surgical reconstruction. Under the medical directorship of William Chambers, MD; vascular surgeon, the Penrose-St. Francis Heart & Vascular Center has earned recognition from HealthGrades in the following areas:

Some of the procedures performed at the Penrose-St. Francis Heart & Vascular Center include:

Endovascular Aneurysm Surgery
In this procedure, a device called an endoluminal stent graft—or endograft—is placed inside the diseased artery to provide support for the weakened artery.  The device alleviates blood pressure in the aneurysm, allowing blood to pass freely without pushing on the weakened artery.  This procedure can be done in the thoracic aorta, abdominal aorta, iliac artery, or popliteal artery.

IVC Filter Placement and Removal
This is an umbrella shaped device designed to catch life threatening clots from traveling to the lungs and causing  pulmonary emboli.  It is used when a patient cannot safely take anticoagulation, has to suspend their anticoagulation, or has clots refractory to anticoagulation.  Some of these devices are removable.

Open Aneurysm Surgery
An aneurysm is a swelling or ballooning of an artery due to weakness in the artery wall.  This is life threatening if the artery were to burst.  In open aneurysm surgery, the artery is freed up above and below the aneurysm and a new artificial artery is inserted.

Lower Extremity Arterial Surgery
Many patients have clogging of the arteries that causes blockages and narrowing of the arteries that supply their legs.  Dr. Crepps and Dr. Kissell do a variety of procedures to treat these blockages.  Sometimes they can repair the artery from inside the blood vessel, or by using “endovascular” techniques similar to heart catheterization.  These procedures would include stenting, angioplasty, atherectomy, and endografting. Other times they have to do open surgery to bypass or reroute around the blockage with a patient’s vein or artificial artery.

Carotid Surgery
A carotid endarterectomy is a procedure where the narrowed carotid artery is cleaned out in order to reduce the patient’s stroke risk.

Dialysis Access Surgery
Dr. Crepps and Dr. Kissell place peritoneal dialysis catheters and create hemodialysis fistulas and grafts for dialysis patients.  They also do declots and maintenance on these accesses when they develop problems.

Varicose Vein Surgery
Our doctors evaluate and treat varicose veins. They start with an ultrasound evaluation to look for venous reflux, or veins that allow the blood to flow backwards.  They perform varicose vein surgery including endovenous laser ablation, radiofrequency ablation, phlebectomies, and sclerotherapy.