Olean, NY – Olean General Hospital (OGH), a member hospital of Kaleida Health, celebrates another first performed by Thomas Langan, MD, vascular surgeon. In May, Dr. Langan and his team completed the first-ever transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) procedure at the hospital campus.

A TCAR is a minimally invasive procedure that is an effective treatment of carotid artery disease. This disease is caused by a buildup of plaque in the two main arteries in the neck that provide oxygen-rich blood to the brain. The clinically-proven procedure clears the blockages in the artery to stabilize the plaque and prevent a stroke. TCARs are a new procedure that reduce the risk of general surgical complications, shorten the procedural length and time the patient is under anesthesia, as well as yields a faster recovery time.

 “Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, and worldwide, nearly 5 million people die from a stroke, and another 5 million are left permanently disabled annually,” said Dr. Langan, vascular surgeon. “TCARs will provide a 50% reduction for a chance of a stroke every year for the patient.”

“Dr. Langan has been nothing short of amazing as he provides cutting-edge procedures right here in our community. His experience, charisma, bedside manner, and overall personality, make him the right choice for any vascular needs, surgical and non,” said Jill Owens, MD, president, UAHS. “In the few months since onboarding with our hospitals, his ambition and compassion as a surgeon has had a positive impact on our patients and community members. Just a few months earlier, Dr. Langan performed the first-ever endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) on a patient,” added Dr. Owens.

Dr. Langan earned a medical degree at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, where he also completed his general surgery residency and vascular surgery fellowship. Dr. Langan also earned a Master of Business Administration at the University at Buffalo. Prior to joining BRMC, OGH, Dr. Langan was an attending vascular surgeon at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY.

Dr. Langan is accepting new patients. His practice is located in the Comprehensive Vascular Center located on the ground floor of 623 Main Street, Olean, NY 14760. Appointments can be made by calling (716) 701-7035. The procedural room at Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) will also be operational soon, which will allow Dr. Langan to perform minimally invasive procedures in Bradford. This will be yet another growth opportunity for BRMC while improving access to vascular services on the Pennsylvania side of the border.