Visiting Physician Completes Columbus Community Hospital’s First Vascular Surgery

When you need care from a medical specialist, you want to stay close to home if possible. Columbus Community Hospital’s Visiting Physicians Clinic brings expert specialists from other cities to your neighborhood. Dr. David Vogel from Vascular & Interventional Specialists is an excellent example of this opportunity.

Dr. Vogel is a vascular surgeon who cares for all the veins and arteries outside the heart and brain, working from the neck to the big toe.

Dr. Vogel started practicing 12 years ago and joined the Visiting Physicians Clinic in October 2022. In January, Dr. Vogel performed an angiogram atherectomy and an angioplasty on his first Columbus Community Hospital patient, Maria Casanova of David City, Nebraska, using the hospital’s new hybrid operating room suite. The outpatient angiogram atherectomy procedure involves removing plaque from the arteries, and the angioplasty uses a balloon to smooth out the artery further.

Casanova was referred to Dr. Vogel from the hospital’s Dr. Sabu George, who works at Columbus Cardiology Clinic. She had a 95% blockage in her lower body and needed the procedure quickly. Beforehand, Casanova required a walker because her legs felt numb, and she had a wound on her big toe that wouldn’t go away.

“They told me my arteries were clogged, which was shocking,” said Casanova. “I was scared, as I did not know what to expect. Dr. Vogel made me feel at ease and openly talked me through everything. It was like he knew me all my life, which improved my experience.”

Vascular surgeons treat peripheral vascular disease, varicose veins, arterial disease, and other vein issues. Many people have undiagnosed vascular problems that can lead to potential amputations, which could be avoided when adequately monitored.

“Swollen, red, brownish, or discolored legs are not far from developing a wound, which will take an incredible time to heal,” said Vogel. “Once your vein issues reach this point, the cost to the health care system and the healing time increases exponentially. Slow-healing wounds and restless legs are other examples in which treating the veins eliminates the problem.”

Diabetic patients, smokers, and those over 80 years of age tend to have the highest risk for peripheral vascular disease. Patients should watch for non-healing wounds — especially on their feet — including dryness, gangrene, and discoloring of the tips of the toes. In these cases, the patient needs a vascular evaluation.

Vascular surgeries are minimally invasive with literally no downtime. In Casanova’s case, she just needed a poke hole to clear the blockage. Patients experience a minimal hospital and recovery time and quickly return to their daily life. The success rate is more than 95%, according to Vogel’s experience.

Dr. Vogel said he appreciates the staff at CCH, the beautiful hospital and the community. As a provider, he aims to utilize the hospital to support the community. Over the next year, he anticipates growing his practice by adding his partner to work with patients in Columbus.

“CCH offers many opportunities for patients in Columbus,” said Vogel. “People should know that a lot of the work can be done right here in the convenience of your community. The hospital has the technology and works with us (visiting physicians) to allow us to bring in the product we need to be successful. Traveling out of town for health care is not necessary.”

Dr. Vogel practices in the Visiting Physicians Clinic on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, starting at 1 p.m. To make an appointment or to learn more about the hospital’s visiting physicians, visit columbusvisitingphysicians.org.