Vascular

Beacon Hospital’s Vascular Department is comprised of our Vascular Diagnostics Unit and our Surgical Vascular services. We have put in place the latest in both non-invasive diagnostics and surgical interventions.

The Vascular services team consists of our Chief Vascular Physiologist and 5 Consultant Vascular Surgeons. We are also delighted to provide a Direct Access service for patients referred to us by GPs, in order to get superior health care. This Direct Access service will allow patients to have non-invasive ultrasonic vascular imaging carried out and a comprehensive report sent back to their GP.

Beacon Hospital is committed to providing the highest quality of care using the latest in healthcare technology.

Appointments and Referrals

Appointments can be made with us after receiving a referral letter from your GP or consultant. All appointments with us must be made through the Radiology Scheduling Team.

Procedures

The procedures we perform at Beacon Hospital are including, but not exclusive to the following:
  • Aneurysm

    An aneurysm is an abnormally large bulge or ballooning, in the wall of a blood vessel. In some circumstances, aneurysms can burst, causing internal bleeding and other serious illnesses.

    In order to determine an aneurysm’s risk factor, a consultant must assess a number of different areas of a patient’s life such as medical and family history, size, location and appearance of the aneurysm. Based on these factors, treatment plan will be decided upon. 

  • Arterial Disease

    There are a wide range of Arterial diseases which affect the arteries in the body. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to other areas of the body.

    Different arterial diseases affect different arteries, resulting in a reduction of the transfer of oxygen throughout the body.

  • Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

    DVT occurs when a blood clot develops in a vein deep within the body. The clot may block or at least partially block the blood flow through the vein.

    Similar to Varicose Veins, they usually occur in the lower leg, thigh or pelvis. This doesn’t exclude the rare circumstances where they occur in other parts of the body including the arm, brain, intestines, liver or kidneys.

    Again, similar to Leg Ulcers and Varicose Veins, DVT can be treated in a wide variety of ways including medications, compression stockings and elevation of the affected leg.

  • Leg Ulcers

    Ulcers are wounds or open sores which will not heal or continue to return to the patient’s legs. They can occur for various reasons like poor circulation, venous insufficiency, diabetes, renal failure and lymphedema to name a few.

    Treatments for Leg Ulcers are abundant and may include antibiotics, anti-platelet or anti-clotting medications, compression garments and orthotics.

    Your consultant will recommend the method best suited to your condition.

  • Varicose Veins

    These are twisted and enlarged veins most commonly appearing in the legs. On account of many activities, Varicose Veins appear from standing and walking upright, increasing the pressure in the veins of your lower body.

    For many people they are simply a cosmetic concern however, sometimes they cause pain and discomfort to the patient. On occasion, they can also lead to more serious problems.

    Treatments for Varicose Veins are broad and comprehensive.

Other Conditions Treated:

Other conditions treated by our Consultant Vascular surgeons include, but are not limited to:
  • Hyperhidrosis

    Excessive sweating. Commonly affects the underarms, palms of the hands or soles of the feet.
  • Rare Vascular Conditions

    Eg. Peripheral Artery Disease, Raynaud's Phenomenon, Buerger's Disease, Carotid Artery Disease.
  • Spider / Thread Veins

    Removal of spider / thread veins. Common methods for treatment include sclerotherapy (injectable treatment) and laser treatment.
  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

    This covers a large group of disorders that occur when blood vessels or nerves in the space between your collarbone and your first rib (thoracic outlet) are compressed.
  • Venous Conditions

    Eg. Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS) and more.

Our Team:

Nuala McMahon, Chief Vascular Physiologist

Nuala has been an integral member of Beacon Hospital’s Vascular Team since 2011, when she joined us to set up the Vascular Diagnostics Unit.

Nuala has been an accredited Vascular Physiologist since 1966 and has over 20 years experience in vascular imaging gained in both the public and private settings. Nuala also has a wealth of experience in research, in teaching vascular diagnostic imagining and in theatre, where she worked on Venous Laser Ablation.