Vascular & Interventional Partners - Education & Research (VIPER)
ViP’s mission is to provide the highest level of interventional radiology care available for patients in Arizona. We believe that an academic approach to medicine improves patient outcomes, raises our level of care, and increases overall value for the patients we serve. To support this goal, we developed a unique division named ViP Education & Research (VIPER).
Our unique VIPER program is committed to advancing procedural care in our specialty through medical student education, residency training, research trials, publications, and center of excellence programs.
The ViP physicians were each trained at high-level academic medical centers in the US, have published peer-reviewed articles in major academic journals, and hold faculty titles at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix.
Medical Student Education
- Over the years, our physicians have trained hundreds of medical students from the Phoenix area and beyond, sponsoring Interventional Radiology elective rotations throughout the year at the largest metro hospital in Arizona. Students typically remain on service for several weeks at a time and are granted in-depth exposure to IR procedural and clinical care.
- ViP physicians participate in hands-on teaching, give invited lectures, and help interview applicants at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix. Each of our physicians holds a faculty title, from Clinical Assistant Professor to full Professor.
- Our group launched an Interventional Procedural Simulation Program at UA COM-Phoenix, allowing students to perform a wide variety of IR procedures in a safe, simulated environment.
IR Residency Program
- The ViP physicians, under the leadership of Dr. Cole Mendenhall, have helped develop and launch a new Integrated IR Residency Program, based at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix and the Phoenix VA. This program will help train the next generation of Vascular and Interventional Radiologists in the Phoenix area.
- The program is a 5-year track that follows a preliminary internship year and currently accepts two IR residents per year. More information on the IR residency program can be found here:
https://phoenixmed.arizona.edu/radiology-residency
CLINICAL TRIALS
ViP physicians have supported past and present clinical trials. Several of these are listed below:
- Surefire vs. Endhole for DEB-TACE: Quantifying hepatic artery embolization to improve outcome https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02748161
- ALTA TIPS: A 5-year longitudinal observational study of patients undergoing TIPS placement
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03973372 - Halt: Embrace Hydrogel Embolic System (HES) Study of Embolization in Peripheral Arterial Bleeds.
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05364502 - INSIGHT Registry - Investigation of clot in ischemic stroke and hematoma evacuation
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04693767
PUBLICATIONS
Selected publications from our physicians and researchers can be seen here:
- Zurcher KS, Huynh KN, Khurana A, Majdalany BS, Toskich B, Kriegshauser JS, Patel IJ, Naidu SG, Oklu R, Alzubaidi SJ. Interventional Management of Acquired Lymphatic Disorders. Radiographics. 2022 Oct;42(6):1621-1637. doi: 10.1148/rg.220032. PMID: 36190865. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36190865/
- Naidu SG, Alzubaidi SJ, Patel IJ, Iwuchukwu C, Zurcher KS, Malik DG, Knuttinen MG, Kriegshauser JS, Wallace AL, Katariya NN, Mathur AK, Oklu R. Interventional Radiology Management of Adult Liver Transplant Complications. Radiographics. 2022 Oct;42(6):1705-1723. doi: 10.1148/rg.220011. PMID: 36190864.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36190864/ - G Sprout, C Goettl. The Impact of Endovascular Simulator Training on Simulated Procedural Performance, Knowledge Acquisition, and Attitudes towards Interventional Radiology in Medical Students. Society of Interventional Radiology Annual Meeting, June 2022.
https://www.jvir.org/article/S1051-0443(22)00522-X/fulltext - D Sacks, S Dhand, R Hegg, K Hirsch, V McCollom, S Sarin, V Vadlamudi, T Wasser, C Zylak. Outcomes of Stroke Thrombectomy Performed by Interventional Radiologists versus Neurointerventional Physicians. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2022; 33:619–626
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvir.2021.11.018
https://www.jvir.org/article/S1051-0443(22)00060-4/fulltext - Knuttinen MG, Zurcher KS, Wallace A, Doe C, Naidu SG, Money SR, Rochon PJ. Ergonomics in IR. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2021 Feb;32(2):235-241. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2020.11.001. Epub 2020 Dec 24. PMID: 33358387.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33358387/ - Knuttinen MG, Zurcher KS, Khurana N, Patel I, Foxx-Orenstein A, Harris LA, Lawrence A, Aguilar F, Sichlau M, Smith BH, Smith SJ. Imaging findings of pelvic venous insufficiency in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Phlebology. 2021 Feb;36(1):32-37. doi: 10.1177/0268355520947610. Epub 2020 Aug 5. PMID: 32757696.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32757696/ - Alani M, Rowley M, Kang P, Chen S, Hirsch K, Seetharam A. Utility of Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Placement for Maintaining Portal Vein Patency in Candidates on Wait Lists Who Develop Thrombus. Exp Clin Transplant. 2020 Dec;18(7):808-813. doi: 10.6002/ect.2019.0153. Epub 2019 Nov 13. PMID: 31830878.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31830878/ - Zurcher K, Sugi MD, Naidu SG, Oklu R, Knuttinen G, Alzubaidi S, Eversman W, Dahiya N, Young SW, Kriegshauser JS. Multimodality Imaging Techniques for Performing Challenging Core Biopsies. Radiographics. 2020 May-Jun;40(3):910-911. doi: 10.1148/rg.2020190104. PMID: 32364887.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32364887/ - Morris MF, Goettl C, Mendenhall C, Chen S, Hirsch K. Diagnosis of Asymptomatic COVID-19 Infection in a Patient Referred for CT Lung Biopsy. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2020 Jul;31(7):1194-1195. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2020.04.002. Epub 2020 Apr 11. PMID: 32513550; PMCID: PMC7151339.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7151339/ - Zurcher KS, Naidu SG, Money SR, Stone WM, Fowl RJ, Knuttinen G, Oklu R, Rotellini Coltvet LA, Crawford D, Buras MR, Pavlicek W. Dose reduction using digital fluoroscopy versus digital subtraction angiography in endovascular aneurysm repair: A prospective randomized trial. J Vasc Surg. 2020 Dec;72(6):1938-1945. doi: 10.1016/j.jvs.2020.02.050. Epub 2020 Apr 8. PMID: 32276019.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32276019/ - Mendenhall C., Loh, S., Chen S., Goettl C., Hirsch K, Wood D. Abstract No. 383 Distribution of parasitized vessels in placenta accreta spectrum. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Volume 31, Issue 3, S173 2020.
https://www.jvir.org/article/S1051-0443(19)31508-8/fulltext - Rowley MW, Agarwal S, Seetharam AB, Hirsch KS. Real-Time Ultrasound-Guided Paracentesis by Radiologists: Near Zero Risk of Hemorrhage without Correction of Coagulopathy. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2019 Feb;30(2):259-264. doi: 10.1016/j.jvir.2018.11.001. PMID: 30717961.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30717961/ - A Sheu, G Laidlaw, J Fell, B Triana, C Goettl, R Shah. Custom 3-Dimensional Printed Ultrasound-Compatible Vascular Access Models: Training Medical Students for Vascular Access. J Vasc Interv Radiol June 2019; 30:922–927.
https://www.jvir.org/article/S1051-0443(19)30209-X/fulltext - Rowley MW, Choi M, Chen S, Hirsch K, Seetharam AB. Refractory Hepatic Encephalopathy After Elective Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt: Risk Factors and Outcomes with Revision. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2018 Nov;41(11):1765-1772. doi: 10.1007/s00270-018-1992-2. Epub 2018 Jun 5. PMID: 29872892.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29872892/ - Orme GJ, Mendenhall C, Blair F, Wen Chen SY, Rhee E, Su W. Percutaneous transhepatic approach for cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation in a patient with persistent atrial fibrillation and interruption of the inferior vena cava. HeartRhythm Case Rep. 2018 May 16;4(8):332-335. doi: 10.1016/j.hrcr.2018.01.012. PMID: 30112281; PMCID: PMC6092569.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30112281/ - Rowley MW, Choi M, Chen S, Hirsch K, Seetharam AB. Race and Gradient Difference Are Associated with Increased Risk of Hepatic Encephalopathy Hospital Admission After Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Placement. J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2018 Sep;8(3):256-261. doi: 10.1016/j.jceh.2017.12.003. Epub 2017 Dec 30. PMID: 30302042; PMCID: PMC6175770.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30302042/ - Mendenhall, C., Saldanha, D., & Knuttinen, M. G. (2015). Cholangiocarcinoma treatment: What is the current evidence. In Cholangiocarcinoma: Diagnosis and Treatment (pp. 209-228). Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
https://mayoclinic.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/cholangiocarcinoma-treatment-what-is-the-current-evidence - Mendenhall, C, Ruchman, R, Jaeger, J, Times of Major Discrepancies Made by On-Call Residents: A Link to Circadian Rhythms. Radiological Society of North America 2010 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2010 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2010/9008480.html
Center of Excellence
- ViP has received Center of Excellence (COE) designation for hepatic Y90 radioembolization, providing training to physicians from the US and international locations.
- If you or a colleague are interested in participating in one of ViP’s COE programs, please email COE@vipinterventional.com.
Learn More
At Vascular & Interventional Partners, we know that cardiovascular diseases can cause uncomfortable symptoms, reduce a person’s quality of life and even put their lives at risk. We also know that patients prefer the most effective and minimally invasive treatment options available, so we help our patients find a long-lasting solution to obstructed blood vessels by performing stent placements.
To learn more about this program and find out if it's right for you, contact the VIP team online or call us today at (480) 435-9100).