Vascular Surgery Research Group 

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The Vascular Surgery Research Group has been based at the TQEH for approximately 20 years now. Our group consists of both clinicians and laboratory researchers. Research themes address both basic laboratory science and clinical research. Major interests include peripheral arterial disease and associated impaired wound healing in patients with diabetes. Research projects address aspects of the pathophysiology of vascular inflammation and wound healing, potential therapies and their clinical implications.

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Researchers

Students

Additional staff members

Mr Joe Dawson, Consultant Vascular Surgeon

Ms Ruth Battersby, Clinical Trials Coordinator (based at the RAH)

Alumni: Postgraduate degrees awarded since 2010

Name Year AwardedSupervisorsTitle of Thesis
PhD completionsUniversity of Adelaide
Dr Nadira Ruzehaji2013Cowin A, Fitridge RThe role of cytoskeletal protein Flightless 1 in diabetic wound healing
Ms Kanchani Rhadjopadhyaya2013Wilson D, Beltrame J, Fitridge R
Vascular Reactivity in patients with peripheral arterial disease
MSc in Surgical ScienceUniversity of Adelaide
Dr Rama Ravula2014Fitridge R, Cowled P Grading of Iliac artery tortuosity and calcification and its association with deployment-related complications following EVAR
Dr Ben Thurston2015Fitridge R and Cowled PQuantification of iliac artery calcification and its influence on outcomes following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair
BSc HonoursUniversity of Adelaide
Clementine Labrosciano2016Beltrame J, Fitridge R and Cowled PIs there a relationship between Ankle Brachial Index and Health Status in patients with Peripheral Artery Disease?

 

Assessing preoperative variables to predict amputation in diabetic patients (suitable for PhD students)

Approximately 75% of lower limb amputations in Australia are associated with diabetic foot ulcers. Predisposing factors contributing to the risk of amputation are the presence and severity of infection and ischaemia, size of the ulcer and presence of osteomyelitis. The Wifi model, which takes these factors into account, has recently been developed. We aim to externally validate the Wifi model and assess what other factors are correlated with outcomes.
Anti-integrin therapy to improve healing of diabetic wounds (in collaboration with Professor Allison Cowin, (Regenerative Medicine, University of South Australia) (suitable for Honours or PhD students)

Up to 25% of people with diabetes will develop non-healing ulcers. Inflammation is a fundamental component of normal wound healing but excessive inflammation is a major contributing factor leading to chronic non-healing wounds. We aim to identify immune specific integrins in chronic wounds and determine whether immune specific integrin function-blocking antibodies dampen inflammation and improve healing in diabetic mouse models.

TEDY Trial: TElmisartan in the management of abDominal aortic aneurYsm (TEDY)

This trial is currently recruiting subjects who have been diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Small aneurysms are not usually harmful but larger ones will need surgery to avoid the aneurysm rupturing, an outcome that is frequently fatal.

The aim of the trial is to test whether administration of the blood pressure drug, telmisartan, can stop the aneurysm from becoming larger, thereby preventing the need for surgery to fix the aneurysm. Subjects will take a daily tablet of either Telmisartan or an inactive tablet every day for two years and have six monthly visits to the trial staff to monitor their health and check if the aneurysm has become any larger.

For more information contact: Professor Rob Fitridge

A model to predict outcomes for endovascular aneurysm repair using preoperative variables

Barnes M, Boult M, Maddern G, Fitridge R. A model to predict outcomes for endovascular aneurysm repair using preoperative variables. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg; 2008. 35(5): 571-9. 

Personalised predictions of endovascular aneurysm repair success rates: validating the ERA model with UK Vascular Institute data

Barnes M, Boult M, Thompson MM, Holt PJ, Fitridge RA. Personalised predictions of endovascular aneurysm repair success rates: validating the ERA model with UK Vascular Institute data. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg; 2010. 40(4): 436-41.

Development of an automated measure of iliac artery tortuosity that successfully predicts early graft-related complications associated with endovascular aneurysm repair

Dowson N, Boult M, Cowled P, De Loryn T, Fitridge R. Development of an automated measure of iliac artery tortuosity that successfully predicts early graft-related complications associated with endovascular aneurysm repair. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg; 2014. 48(2): 153-60.

Self-reported fitness of American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair predicts patient survival

Boult M, Howell S, Cowled P, De Loryn T, Fitridge R. Self-reported fitness of American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair predicts patient survival. J Vasc Surg; 2015. 62(2): 299-303.

International trends in patient selection for elective endovascular aneurysm repair: sicker patients with safer anatomy leading to improved 1-year survival

Fitridge RA, Boult M, Mackillop C, De Loryn T, Barnes M, Cowled P, et al. International trends in patient selection for elective endovascular aneurysm repair: sicker patients with safer anatomy leading to improved 1-year survival. Ann Vasc Surg; 2015. 29(2): 197-205.

Chief InvestigatorsGranting BodyProject TitleType of GrantTotal Grant AmountFunding Period
R Fitridge, M Boult, J Golledge, G Maddern, M Thompson, M BarnesNHMRC Evaluating a decision-making model for EVARProject Grant$1,075,5952009 - 2015 
J Golledge, B Kingwell, P Norman, A Tonkin, R Fitridge, C Reid, P Walker, G Hankey, J Fletcher, M NelsonNHMRC National Centre of Research Excellence to improve management of peripheral arterial diseaseCentres of Research Excellence$2,499,2502010 – 2014
J Golledge, C Rush, P Walker, R Fitridge, R MullerNHMRC The role of the clotting cascade in aortic aneurysm and associated cardiovascular eventsProject Grant$619,9112011 – 2013  
J Karnon, C Gibb, R Fitridge, V Marshall, J FieldNHMRCEconomic evaluation and optimisation of services for the preoperative assessment and management of high risk surgical patientsProject Grant$386,1552012 – 2014 
J Golledge, P Norman, P Walker, A Ahimastos, R Dalman, R FitridgeNHMRCTElmisartan in the management of abDominal aortic aneurYsm (TEDY)Project Grant$1,105,8932012 – 2016  

Project titleCollaboratorInstitutionCityCountry
PORTRAIT Registry: Patient-centered Outcomes Related to Treatment practices in peripheral Arterial disease: an International TrajectoryProf John Beltrame Discipline of Medicine, The University of AdelaideAdelaide, South AustraliaAustralia
Dr John SpertusMid-America Heart InstituteKansas City, KansasUSA
Dr Johan Denollet Tilburg UniversityTilburgThe Netherlands
EVAR Trial: National and International Collaborations

Dr N DowsonThe Australian e-Health Research Centre, Computational Informatics, CSIRO and the Royal Brisbane and Womens’ HospitalBrisbane, QueenslandAustralia
Ms M Barnes Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics, CSIROAdelaide, South AustraliaAustralia
Prof J Golledge James Cook University Townsville, QueenslandAustralia
Professor M ThompsonSt George’s Vascular InstituteLondonUK
Professor R Sayers
Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of LeicesterLeicesterUK
Dr JR BoyleCambridge University HospitalsCambridgeUK
Dr T ForbesDivision of Vascular Surgery, London Health Sciences CentreLondon, OntarioCanada
TEDY Trial and Small AAA trialProf J GolledgeJames Cook UniversityTownsville, QueenslandAustralia
National Centre of Research Excellence to improve management of peripheral arterial diseaseProf J GolledgeJames Cook UniversityTownsville, QueenslandAustralia
Cooperative Centre for Wound Healing
Professor A CowinUniversity of South AustraliaAdelaide, South AustraliaAustralia
Professor N VoelckerUniversity of South AustraliaAdelaide, South AustraliaAustralia
Steering Committee for development of the new International Standards for Vascular Care. (Society for Vascular Surgery, European Society for Vascular Surgery and World Federation of Vascular Societies)