Research and Scholarly Standing
My Research Portfolio displays a focused dedication to the management of vascular disease and an acute recognition of the dramatic changes that have occurred in vascular disease throughout my career.
Vascular Surgery, once considered within the remit of general surgeons, is now recognized globally as a distinct independent specialty.
Contemporary vascular disease management has undergone a shift away from open surgery towards minimally invasive endovascular intervention. These catheter skills and the enhanced emphasis on cardiovascular risk management means that we as vascular specialists now have more in common with interventional cardiologists and vascular medicine physicians.
This paradigm shift is visible throughout my research portfolio and is reflected in my desire to embrace future directions and engage allied research groups.
Medical Technology device innovation and bioengineering insights into imaging, tissue engineering and material properties combined with therapeutic genomic manipulation have a central role to play in the future of vascular disease management. This necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach to clinically focused vascular research and my recognition of the vital role of biotechnology in modern endovascular therapeutics has encouraged me to engage scientists, engineers, related-clinicians and industrial partners.
Furthermore, my establishment of the Western Vascular Institute, as a clinical research institute and professional training centre which actively engages industry and promotes public education, demonstrates my view that an all-inclusive approach is vital to the advancement of vascular disease management.
What is more, I have established a variety of dedicated research subgroups within the WVI which comprise a mixture of undergraduate and postgraduate students and professionals. This reflects my longstanding viewpoint that research and education are inextricably intertwined and are a powerful combined force when it comes to delivering clinical excellence and patient care.
President of the Independent Global Registry on the Use of the Multilayer Flow Modulator in Complex Thoracoabdominal Aortic Pathologies.
The Multi-layer Flow Modulator is a disruptive technology which represents a new concept in themanagement of Aortic disease.
The mode of action of this device is completely different from that of conventional aortic devices, which has caused much scepticism among the vascular community worldwide. However, positive clinical outcomes have forced a more thorough investigation of this new device and the team at the Western Vascular Institute have been commissioned to undertake this exploratory task.
I am heading the team at the Western Vascular Institute which has established an independent registry to collect data from the surgeons and interventionalists around the world who have used this stent to treat thoracoabdominal aortic pathologies. The experienced team at the Western Vascular Institute comprises clinicians, biomedical engineers, scientists and data managers who are objectively analysing the clinical outcomes in patients treated with this device as well as engaging in independent biomedical testing.
International Awards
My extensive experience in the clinical research field is widely published, with near monthly papers in international peer reviewed journals and I, or one of my team, present each year, at every major international vascular surgical meetings in the USA, Asia, Europe, Australia and South America.
In international recognition of these achievements the American Society of Angiology has bestowed me with the honorary presidency of its Irish chapter.
Over the last few years the Western Vascular Institute has received 32 international awards from the most prestigious vascular surgery and cardiovascular societies in the world.
Awards
Thoracic abdominal endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) with chimney grafts, hybrid techniques and multi-layer stenting in the management of Thoracoabdominal Aortic Pathologies
Evaluation of the Multilayer Flow Modulator in the Management of Complex Thoracoabdominal Aortic Pathology: A systematic Review and Metanalysis
Translational Research
I founded Tulip Endovascular in 2013.
Our pioneering work on stem cell therapy delivery catheter won the Cleveland clinic innovation award in December 2013.
I Also founded Embricon in February 2005 in conjunction with a team of Bioengineers, Scientists, and Financial consultants. Embricon is classified by Enterprise Ireland as a High Performance Start-Up (HPSU) company, focused on the research, development and commercialisation of innovative Endovascular Solutions. The company is committed to translational research and is based at the Business Innovation Centre at the National University of Ireland, Galway.
In November 2007 InterTrade Ireland’s Equity Network announced Embricon as the winner of the Best International Emerging Company in the All-Island Seedcorn Business Competition 2007, and Embricon received a prize fund to develop a novel and innovative technology for the surgical treatment of varicose veins.
Green Medical Ltd, of which I was a director and founding member, was sold to Cook Medical in 2005 with an impressive Intellectual Property Portfolio and patents relating to treatment of superficial venous malformations. My dedication to translation research is further evidenced by a catalogue of international patents and my involvement in international clinical trials, such as the multicentre Angioscore PTA trial (Scheinert et al, Catheter Cardiovascular Interv 2007;70(7):1034-9), the Insight multicentre clinical trial of the Cordis Incraft aortic endograft and the multilayer flow modulator stent registry.
Clinical Leadership
None of these principles of teaching would be possible without having a specialist high volume clinical unit in which to impart real-world knowledge.
Since my appointment I have worked hard to establish a world-class specialist vascular and endovascular unit.
Prior to my appointment in 2002, there was no dedicated vascular & endovascular surgical service in the West. Pre-2002 a negligible volume of Vascular Services were offered only under the auspices of general surgery services and less than a dozen endovascular procedures had been undertaken in the radiology department. My first undertaking was to establish a dedicated vascular clinical and academic unit.
Team Building
My team initially comprised of one NCHD, one vascular technologist and one administrative staff member. The volume of vascular procedures performed has increased over 100-fold to an average of 450 vascular procedures per annum, 90% of which are performed by minimally-invasive endovascular means with proven and published enhanced cost-effectiveness. We see over 7500 patients per annum, the highest volume for any consultant within the HSE according to their published figures. We now have eight NCHDs: Two NCHDs are dedicated clinical lecturers, one of who is completely funded by the Western Vascular Institute; three NCHDs are part-time and are co-sponsored by the WVI; we have a dedicated vascular nurse specialist, five vascular technologists and three administrative staff.
Introduction of Endovascular Technology and Deliberate Practice Volume
Demonstration of initially massive increase in vascular procedures with specialization and introduction of endovascular therapies. Numbers have started to decrease in recent years with screening, enhanced out-patient services, advances in non-operative management and improved medical therapies
The installation of endovascular equipment and technical know-how allows for minimally invasive therapies with reduced hospital stay and an increase in patient turnover. We have proven that high deliberate practice volumes, endovascular capabilities and specialist care have afforded patients significant improvements in clinical efficacy and quality of life and have led to significant improvements in cost-effectiveness and a reduction in healthcare spending.
A Shift towards Outpatient Services, Non-operative Management and Improved Medical Therapies
We have made a protracted effort to initiate effective therapies that allow patients to be treated on an out-patient basis. Currently only 6% of patients seen are admitted to the hospital per annum, while only 5% will undergo surgery. Choosing the appropriate treatments has enabled us to continue to increase our limb salvage and survival rates in a cost-effective manner despite a fall in invasive treatments.
Our world-class out-patient vascular service is structured as follows:
Vascular Laboratory: This accredited lab uses non-invasive ultrasound scanning to provide emergency real-time vascular imaging for the West of Ireland.
ArtAssist Clinic: A dedicated innovative lower limb revascularization clinic, which run three days per week, The non-invasive ArtAssist device, first developed for NASA astronauts, enables us to treat patients in their own homes and has allowed us to enhance limb salvage and reduce the number of patients requiring major invasive limb salvage therapies
Wound Care: A specialist wound care clinic and veins unit is operational two days per week. It is run by a dedicated Nurse specialist who makes it possible to manage the vast majority of vascular related wounds as an out-patient service.
AAA Screening
The Vascular Laboratory offers minimally invasive duplex ultrasound screening in addition to diagnostic and peri-operative imaging services. Screening more than 550 patients per annum and detecting vascular pathologies at an early stage means that we have seen a dramatic fall in death from aortic rupture, amputation and stroke.
I have also been appointed clinical lead for the Saolta AAA screening programme. We are currently running a pilot study with outreach clinics to the most remote areas of the NorthWest region of Ireland. This programme uses duplex ultrasound for aortic and carotid screening and Ankle Brachial Indices for peripheral arterial screening and will shortly be rolled out nationally.
Working with Related Specialties
Our growing interaction with related services such as cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, vascular radiology, neurology and endocrinology is typified by services such as acute stroke care, diabetic foot care, weekly multi-disciplinary meetings, concomitant surgeries such as cardiac and carotid revascularizations and combined cardiovascular clinical teaching.
Research and Scholarly Standing Profile
My Research portfolio displays a focused dedication to the management of vascular disease and an acute recognition of the dramatic changes that have occurred in vascular disease throughout my career. Contemporary vascular disease management has undergone a shift away from open surgery towards minimally invasive endovascular intervention. These catheter skills and the enhanced emphasis on cardiovascular risk management means that we as vascular specialists now have more in common with interventional cardiologists and vascular medicine physicians.
This paradigm shift is visible throughout my research portfolio and is reflected in my desire to embrace future directions and engage allied research groups. Medical Technology device innovation and bioengineering insights into imaging, tissue engineering and material properties combined with therapeutic genomic manipulation have a central role to play in the future of vascular disease management. This necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach to clinically focused vascular research and recognition of the role of biotechnology in endovascular therapeutics has encouraged me to engage scientists, engineers, related-clinicians and industrial partners.
Furthermore, my establishment of the Western Vascular Institute, as a clinical research institute and professional training centre which actively engages industry and promotes public education, demonstrates my view that an all-inclusive approach is vital to the advancement of vascular disease management. What is more, I have established a variety of dedicated research subgroups within the WVI which comprise a mixture of undergraduate and postgraduate students and professionals.