Vascular services — Bay of Plenty

To contact the vascular services team at Tauranga Hospital:

• phone: 07 579 8000
• mobile: 027 297 6818

Ask to be directed to the vascular surgical scheduler and have your NHI number ready.

Our vascular services are at:

Tauranga Hospital
829 Cameron Road
Tauranga South
Tauranga

Our vascular team manages a variety of vascular conditions.

• Intermittent claudication — a common symptom of vascular disease where people experience leg pain or cramping during exercise due to reduced blood flow.
• Varicose veins — swollen, twisted veins that typically affect the legs, causing discomfort and swelling.
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm — an enlargement of the artery that carries blood from the heart that can be life-threatening if it ruptures.
• Other aneurysms — including popliteal artery aneurysms (a bulge in the artery behind the knee), which may need surveillance and management, such as regular imaging and monitoring. It may need potential surgical or minimally invasive interventions if the aneurysm grows or starts to show symptoms.
• Critical limb ischemia (CLI): a severe obstruction of the arteries that leads to poor blood flow, often resulting in ulcers, gangrene, and in severe cases, the need for amputation.
• Carotid endarterectomy for transient ischemic attacks or stroke prevention — a surgical procedure aimed at removing plaque from the carotid artery to reduce the risk of transient ischemic attacks or strokes, which can be caused by carotid stenosis.

Vascular surgical team

Tauranga Hospital is supported by a team of 3 skilled vascular surgeons who are experienced in treating the full spectrum of vascular conditions, including those related to arteries and veins. These surgeons perform procedures such as:

• arterial bypass grafting
• aneurysm repair
• endarterectomy (a surgical procedure to remove plaque buildup from an artery)
• vein treatments.

Vascular clinical nurse specialist (CNS)

Cascular clinical nurse specialists serve as a main point of contact for patients and:

• provide continuity of care throughout the treatment process
• offer education, support and monitoring.

They also run the abdominal aortic aneurysm surveillance programme and intermittent claudication clinics.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm surveillance programme

This programme is run by our vascular clinical nurse specialists for people at risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm. People in the programme are closely monitored.

Intermittent claudication clinics

Intermittent claudication is a common symptom of vascular disease where people experience leg pain or cramping during exercise due to reduced blood flow.

These clinics help people to address risk factors like:

• smoking
• diabetes
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol.

Working with other disciplines

Our vascular services work closely with several other specialties to provide comprehensive care for patients. This includes collaboration with:

• podiatry for foot and lower limb complications
• interventional radiology for minimally invasive procedures
• endocrinology to support people with diabetes and other metabolic conditions that can make vascular problems worse

infectious diseases specialists for care and treatment of people with infections related to vascular conditions.

You need a referral from your healthcare provider to access these services. We review referrals to assess the urgency and appropriateness of the treatment required. You will be prioritised for treatment and care based on need.