About Us

Martin Memorial's Endovascular Center treats patients who have an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a bulge in a blood vessel, with a minimally invasive surgery to repair the blood vessel. Endovascular surgery is a safe, simple and relatively painless procedure that has a 95 percent success rate. About 50 percent of patients qualify for endovascular repair of an aneurysm. Those who have the surgery can expect to spend two or three days in the hospital and be back to normal activities in two to three weeks.

Your doctor will determine if endovascular repair is right for you. If you do not meet the criteria for this procedure, your doctor will recommend traditional surgery. Martin Memorial surgeons have years of experience doing both endovascular and traditional surgery, so you can rest easy knowing you are receiving top quality care.

About Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta, the main vessel carrying blood to the organs and the lower extremities. The most common aneurysm occurs in the abdominal area, although it may occur in other blood vessels throughout your body. The aneurysm occurs when a weakened blood vessel wall expands like a balloon until it eventually bursts, or ruptures. If an aneurysm ruptures, severe pain and even sudden death can occur. The goal of Martin Memorial doctors and surgeons is to catch and repair an aneurysm before it ruptures.

Who May Be at Risk for an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm rarely causes physical symptoms and is usually diagnosed during a medical examination. However, you may experience intense back or abdominal pain that may be caused by rapid growth of the undetected aneurysm. You may be at risk if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Family history of aneurysm
• Aged 55 or older
• Chronic cigarette smoker
• Vascular disease
• Atherosclorosis (hardening of the arteries)

Diagnosing an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

If your doctor thinks you may be at risk for an abdominal aortic aneurysm, he or she may recommend one or more of the following diagnostic tests:

• Ultrasound (sound waves to provide a visual picture of blood vessels)
• CT Scan (sophisticated x-ray to provide a visual picture of blood vessels)
• MRI (radio waves and a strong magnet to show your blood vessels)
• Arteriogram (interventional x-ray to show blood flow through your vessels)

Martin Memorial Diagnostic Imaging offers these tests, as well as regular AAA ultrasound screenings, for those who may be at risk. Your doctor will refer you for a full range of tests if necessary, or you can have a screening done without a doctor's referral when AAA screenings are offered at our Stuart and St. Lucie West diagnostic centers. Call (772) 223-4517 to find out when the next scheduled screening will take place, or visit the calendar. Learn more about Martin Memorial Diagnostic Imaging.

Our Doctors

These surgeons perform endovascular repair at Martin Memorial.

• Robert W. Garrett, MD, FACS
• Rene M. Loyola, MD, FACS
• Julio Sanguily, III, MD, FACS
• Mario B. Sanguily, MD, FACS
• Scott Tapper, MD, FACS
• Steven M. Tidwell, MD

Contact Us

Martin Memorial Endovascular Center
200 S.E. Hospital Ave.
Stuart, FL 34994
(772) 223-4517
(800) 313-7822
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