The Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the University Hospital Frankfurt am Main offers planned and emergency treatment of all diseases of the vascular system (with the exception of the pathology of the coronary arteries and vessels located near the heart). The therapeutic options cover both open surgery and advanced interventional catheter techniques (alone or in combination with open surgery, hybrid interventions) along with modern conservative treatments. In the choice of therapy, the department always takes into consideration the individual needs of patients with the latest scientific findings and state-of-the-art technology.  The Head of the Department is Univ. Dr. Thomas Schmitz-Rixen. He is supported by four senior physicians, 10 medical specialists, assistant doctors, and 2 vascular assistants, 2 secretaries and nursing staff at the ward, vascular surgical outpatient clinic, outpatient surgical clinic, and in the central surgical clinic. The Department specializes in the endovascular treatment of abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms. This expertise has been further expanded since 2014 by the introduction of endovascular care with fenestrated special prostheses (side branch restoration). More than 4,000 patients are treated in the outpatient clinic as initial treatment, follow-up treatment and follow-up after vascular surgery and interventions every year.

Main areas of care of the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery are: 

Aortic aneurysm (thoracic and abdominal)

Treatment of simple and complex aneurysms of the thoracic and abdominal aorta

• Open and endovascular surgery of all aneurysmal sites
• Complex restorations with multiple fenestrated stent-grafts
• Combined open and endovascular procedures (hybrid surgery)

Open surgical, endovascular and conservative treatment of peripheral vascular disease

• Open and endovascular surgery of the supra-aortic branches 
• Open and endovascular surgery of the visceral arteries 
• Open and endovascular surgery of the peripheral arterial system (pyloroplasty, bypass surgery, stent-PTA)
• Intravenous infusion therapy, local intra-arterial lysis therapy

Injuries to the vascular system

• All vascular injuries
• Emergency care within the supraregional Trauma Center

Plastic-reconstructive interventions

• Surgery of vascular malformations of all locations Full-thickness skin, split-skin grafts and flap plastics for covering defects in the extremities 
• Free bone or soft tissue transfer for reconstruction after oncological surgery in the head and neck area

Dialysis access

• Shunt surgery: open placement of dialysis fistulas at all locations using endogenous vessels and prosthetic material
• Current study on the minimally invasive endovascular installation of dialysis fistula
• Installation of dialysis catheters for temporary dialysis

Diagnosis and therapy of venous diseases

• Conservative and surgical treatment of pelvic vein and cava thrombosis
• Therapy of chronic venous insufficiency