The Vascular Institute of New York located in Borough Park since 1990 has recently been recognized as a Verified Outpatient Vascular-VP Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS).
The Vascular Institute is one of five outpatients’ vascular centers nationwide to receive this recognition, and the only one in New York City to have been awarded the certification. The ACS and SVS launched the Vascular Verification Program in 2023, setting new standards for outpatient vascular centers. The certificate is awarded after thoroughly examining how the facility is run and its safety outcomes.
Standards include institutional commitment, clinical care, and resources for facilities, equipment, services, and personnel, to name a few.
Dr. Enrico Ascher, founder and chief executive officer of the Vascular Institute of New York, said receiving the certification was a huge honor and a great achievement by his colleagues Dr. Anil Hingorani and Dr. Natalie Marks.
Dr. Ascher is not only a board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon with many years of experience but he is known nationally and internationally as a leader in vascular surgery. Over the years he has treated patients referred to him from the Mayo Clinic and other great Institutions.
“Although I have received invitations to be the director of vascular surgery in the most prestigious academic centers in NYC, I opted to dedicate my professional career to Brooklyn patients and to those that are ready to travel to Borough Park to consult with us,” he said.
Dr. Ascher and his team at The Vascular Institute of New York developed numerous new techniques to diminish the size of the incision, to avert contrast material as well as to minimize or completely eliminate the need for potentially harmful contrast material. Indeed, Dr. Ascher together with Dr. Marks are considered the founders of ultrasound guided vascular procedures.
Dr. Ascher also created a technique for carotid endarterectomy (stroke prevention) that shortened the skin incision from five to seven inches long down to one inch. The patient loved it, and this technique is now used in several American and European centers.
Many other techniques aimed at decreasing the magnitude of surgical operation and vascular procedures were created in the Institute by Dr. Ascher and his colleagues. Less discomfort while maintaining safety has always been the goal of this group of vascular specialists.
Equally important is the fact that Dr. Ascher noticed that many patients seeking a second opinion for an previously indicated surgical procedure or a stent procedure either did not have the proper diagnosis or less invasive options were never explained. Accordingly, he incentivizes anyone with leg pain upon walking who was scheduled for a procedure to seek a second opinion. Patients with PAD (peripheral arterial disease) or claudication (pain upon walking) can be treated by less aggressive means. Surprisingly, avoiding a stent or a bypass operation for the lower extremities may, in selected cases, be better on the long term with less chance of a major mishap.
“Occasionally, I hear from patients that they only consulted with a ‘local’ specialist because it was more convenient or because they did not have to wait too long to be seen” said Dr. Ascher. “People should be reminded that they need to take their vascular signs or symptoms very seriously and search for the best place to go for consultation. Go beyond the name of the Institution. Find out about the physician experience and contributions to their specialty. You are not shopping for groceries, you are dealing with your health.”
Dr. Ascher and his colleagues Dr. Hingorani and Dr. Marks have published over 360 articles in referred scientific Journals, 80 chapters in vascular textbooks and have been invited to lecture in over 500 Institutions globally. Dr. Ascher is also the editor-in-chief of the well-known Haimovici’s Textbook in Vascular Surgery.
Dr. Ascher was also recently honored by his peers electing him to the presidency of several national and international societies including the Society for vascular Surgery, The Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, The International Society for Vascular Surgery, and The World Federation for Vascular Societies. Last year, Dr. Ascher was again honored with the highest recognition given by the most important society in the world, the Society for Vascular Surgery: The Distinguished Life-time Achievement Award.
Dr. Ascher says it is a unique opportunity to have Dr. Hingorani, a well-respected board certified vascular surgeon, as a member of The Vascular Institute of New York. He is a nationally known individual as a superb surgeon who recently elected president of the Easter Vascular Society. Dr. Hingorani was the prime mover and first author of the Society for Vascular Surgery Clinical Guidelines on how to diagnose and treat diabetic foot ulcerations. These guidelines are now being followed internationally.
Dr. Marks is the only board certified vascular medicine specialist actively working in Brooklyn and she adds tremendously to the team, Dr. Ascher added. She is board certified in wound care and in internal medicine. She has also developed a niche in sclerotherapy (vein injections) and her techniques are very effective in making the unsightly vein disappear.
The team at Vascular Institute of New York’s goal is to render the most effective treatment modality to patients, always keeping in mind the least aggressive options with the best safety and efficacy outcomes. This means that patients who come to the institute will have the benefit of having two experienced vascular surgeons discussing his or her case with a highly qualified vascular medicine specialist. This setting is unique in the tri-state area.
The Vascular Institute of New York encompasses the Venous Center and the Wound Care Center. Both were the first such centers in Brooklyn. Leg pain, swelling or wounds that don’t heal within 2 weeks of treatment, get prompt attention at The Institute. After the correct diagnosis is made, treatment is commenced immediately.
The Vascular Institute of New York deals with all the arteries in the body except for the heart and the brain itself.
The Vascular Institute of New York is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the vascularnyc.com website or call (718) 438-3800.
Additional reporting by Gabriele Holtermann
