www.montereycountynow.com OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6, 2024 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 7 ontage Health is transforming medical care for blood vessel conditions in Monterey County with a new endovascular surgery program led by Dr. Emaad Farooqui, one of Montage Medical Group’s newest surgeons and the only board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon in Monterey County. While traditional vascular procedures use open surgery to treat blood vessel conditions, endovascular surgery is minimally invasive, meaning only small incisions are made which reduces pain, blood loss, recovery time, and complication risk. Farooqui helped develop the endovascular program at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach and is now bringing his expertise to Monterey County, leading efforts to treat conditions including: • Peripheral arterial disease — Reduced or blocked blood flow to the legs, arms, or abdomen caused by fatty plaque buildup • Aortic aneurysms — A bulge in the wall of an artery that can burst and cause internal bleeding and death • Carotid artery disease — Narrowing of the carotid artery in the neck by plaque, which blocks blood flow to the brain and can cause a stroke Some vascular surgeries are already available at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula generally through traditional vascular procedures. For most endovascular procedures, patients have been referred to larger medical centers like Stanford and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Farooqui plans to build on Community Hospital’s existing vascular program to make higher levels of care available locally. “Our goal is to build a comprehensive vascular program and ultimately become a vascular center of excellence,” Farooqui says. “Patients who live here would like to stay here for their care, and we’d like to be able to offer comprehensive and innovative care for any vascular needs.” Two areas Farooqui anticipates focusing on soon are transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) to treat carotid artery disease, as well as limb salvage. In TCAR, surgeons make a small incision in the neck and place a stent into the carotid artery at the site of plaque blockage, stabilizing the plaque and creating a clearer path for blood flow. This newer procedure significantly reduces the risk of heart attack, nerve injury, and post-operative bleeding compared to traditional open surgery. In limb salvage, a multidisciplinary team repairs or restores blood supply to the legs, feet, and arms, improving functionality and reducing amputations. It’s especially important in Monterey County, Farooqui says, because of the high diabetes rate, which increases the risk of limb loss. “There are constantly new devices and equipment that improve patient outcomes and experiences,” Farooqui says. “That’s what drew me to the field of vascular surgery; it’s at the forefront of technological advances. We hope to be able to bring newer devices that improve patient outcomes and overall care to Community Hospital.” The endovascular work will be done in two hybrid operating rooms that opened at Community Hospital in 2023, which provide advanced imaging technology necessary for minimally invasive procedures. Farooqui completed a fellowship in vascular and endovascular surgery at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California. He graduated from Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, followed by a general surgery residency at the level one trauma center on UCSF’s Fresno campus. Advanced, minimally invasive vascular procedures are coming to Monterey County M PAID ADVERTISEMENT Emaad Farooqui, MD, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Montage Medical Group Visit montagemedicalgroup.org to learn more about Montage Medical Group’s providers and specialties. “Our goal is to build a comprehensive vascular program and ultimately become a vascular center of excellence. Patients who live here would like to stay here for their care, and we’d like to be able to offer comprehensive and innovative care for any vascular needs.” — Dr. Emaad Farooqui
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