Vascular Surgery
Contact: (0191) 213 7357 - Secretary to Mr T Lees, Clinical Director / Consultant Vascular Surgeon
The Northern Vascular Centre is based at the Freeman Hospital providing the primary vascular surgical service for all patients from Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland. We also treat more complex vascular problems, seeing patients from across the North of England, Scotland and even other parts of the UK for very specialist cases.
Advanced diagnostic facilities and clinical expertise
Our inpatient facility is well equipped with 46 beds and access to specialist investigatory services such as vascular ultrasound scanning and advanced radiological techniques which can help diagnose and treat patients with both arterial and venous disease.
Specialist services for a full range of complex conditions
We are one of only a handful of major training centres for the treatment of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysms which involves a highly specialist technique using the insertion of stents (special tubes used to prop open an artery that's been cleared). Our surgeons have placed around 400 primary stents over the last 12 years and are heavily involved in the development of this technique for aneurysms of the thoracic aorta (largest artery in the chest), and renal (kidney) and visceral arteries, which supply blood to the intestines, spleen and liver.
Committed to advancing clinical care
Another significant area of interest for our surgeons is the treatment of patients with atherosclerotic (degenerative) disease of their carotid (head and neck) arteries. Our surgeons are conducting several trials of carotid stenting and work jointly with Dr Sumaira MacDonald, one of our vascular radiologists who has an international reputation in this field.
We also offer a service for patients with other vascular conditions such as:
- arterio-venous malformations
- hyperhidrosis
- thoracic outlet syndrome and
- peripheral vascular disease
Two key members of our team, Professor Stansby and Sister Dugdill have been heavily involved in the national Target PAD Campaign which has helped raise awareness of peripheral artery disease and to reduce the risks from leg arterial disease.
Internationally renowned centre pioneering care and treatment
The Northern Vascular Centre is committed to developing modern treatments for varicose veins and peripheral arterial disease and we have a well established clinical trials unit involved in numerous national and international research projects to help develop potential new therapies which means our patients are often first to benefit from ground-breaking new treatments.
