ABOUT THE SINGHEALTH DUKE-NUS VASCULAR CENTRE

The SingHealth Duke-NUS Vascular Centre (SDVC) was established to bring together the multidisciplinary expertise of the vascular sub-specialties across SingHealth institutions – to offer integrated care and collaborate in research and education.

The multidisciplinary team consists of healthcare professionals from the following specialties:

• Vascular Surgery
• Interventional Radiology
• Interventional Nephrology
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Dermatology (Vascular Anomalies)
• Plastic Surgery
• Podiatry
• Wound Nursing

SURGICAL INNOVATION

One of the recent vascular surgery developments that the Centre is looking into is complex aortic aneurysm treatment. In the past, stent grafts were only used below the renal arteries in the abdomen. Today, custom-made devices are used to treat the whole aorta, including in the chest, abdomen and pelvis.

The Centre has also started to introduce the new technique of endovascular creation of fistulas to patients. Patients with chronic kidney disease require arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) for dialysis access, usually in the arm. This technique will allow for the surgical creation of such fistula access – connecting the artery and the vein by stitching them together.

The aim is to improve fistula maturation in appropriate candidates which represents a paradigm shift since the advent of surgical AVFs.

RESEARCH & BENCHMARKING

The Centre plans to consolidate the common research fields of Singapore General Hospital (SGH), Changi General Hospital (CGH) and Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), such as lower extremity revascularisation including endovascular treatment of the legs through ballooning and stents.

As part of the collective Centre, CGH and SKH will be joining SGH in participating in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI), a voluntary initiative by over 800 medical centres in North America to collect and share data on vascular care. This will also allow the three institutions to audit and benchmark the quality of our vascular care against that of other centres.

Given the number of patients with diabetic foot ulcers requiring amputation in Singapore, the SDVC is also focusing efforts on the setting up of an amputation database. Through this database, the centre will collate data to look into how to improve our diabetes care.

OUR SERVICES

Vascular surgery

• Aortic Surgery: Open and Minimally Invasive (Endovascular Aneurysm Repair [EVAR] / Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair [TEVAR])
• Carotid Surgery
• Lower Extremity Revascularisation, Including Angioplasty and Stenting
• Venous Surgery
• Arteriovenous Fistula Creation and Maintenance
• Miscellaneous Arterial and Venous Surgery

Vascular & interventional radiology

• Angiography
• Angioplasty (Balloon and Stent)
• Aortic Aneurysmal Repair (Stent Grafts)
• Arteriovenous Fistula Intervention, Including Angioplasty, Thrombolysis, and Embolisation
• Vascular Malformation Embolisation
• Central Venous Access Devices
• Inferior Vena Cava Filters, Thrombolysis of Deep Venous Thrombosis
• Ablation of Varicose Veins
• Trauma Embolisation

Interventional nephrology

• Renal Biopsy
• Placement of Tunneled and Non-Tunneled Haemodialysis Catheters
• Dialysis Access Interventions, Including Angioplasty and Thrombolysis
• Ultrasound-Guided Cannulation and Marking of Dialysis Access

Cardiothoracic surgery

• Aortic Surgery: Open and Minimally Invasive (EVAR/TEVAR)
• Aortic Root Reconstruction
• Aortic Arch Branch Vessel Reconstruction

Vascular anomalies

• Vascular Tumours (e.g., Infantile Haemangiomas, Kaposiform Haemangioendothelioma)
• Vascular Malformations (e.g., Venous, Lymphatic and Arteriovenous Malformations)
• Vascular Anomalies Syndromes (e.g., PIK3CA-Related Overgrowth Syndrome)

For GP referrals, please contact the SingHealth Duke-NUS Vascular Centre:
Singapore General Hospital: 6326 6060
Changi General Hospital: 6788 3003
Sengkang General Hospital: 6930 6000
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital: 6294 4050
National Heart Centre Singapore: 6704 2222

Website: www.singhealth.com.sg/vascular-centre

OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Head
Assoc Prof Chong Tze Tec
Head & Senior Consultant, Dept of Vascular Surgery, SGH

Deputy Head
Assoc Prof Tay Kiang Hiong
Head & Senior Consultant, Dept of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, SGH

Director, Education
Dr Ankur Patel
Senior Consultant, Dept of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, SGH

Director, Research
Assoc Prof Tang Tjun Yip
Senior Consultant, Dept of Vascular Surgery, SGH

Service Chief @ SGH
Assoc Prof Tan Chieh Suai
Head & Senior Consultant, Dept of Renal Medicine, SGH

Service Chief @ CGH
Dr Darryl Lim
Consultant, Dept of Surgery, CGH

Service Chief @ SKH
Assoc Prof Edward Choke Tieng Chek
Senior Consultant, Dept of Surgery, SKH

Service Chief @ KKH
Clin Assoc Prof Mark Koh Jean Aan
Head & Senior Consultant, Dept of Dermatology, KKH

Service Chief @ NHCS
Asst Prof Chao Tar Toong Victor
Senior Consultant, Dept of Cardiothoracic Surgery, NHCS