Our Surgery Access Center
Our Surgery Access Center
Located in Newington, our Access Center provides a private, outpatient setting where we can evaluate and treat common problems associated with the catheters, grafts, and fistulas necessary for dialysis access.
At our Access Center, board-certified nephrologists specializing in interventional nephrology are skilled in diagnostic and therapeutic AV shunt procedures, in addition to the insertion, replacement, or removal of central venous catheters.
Below are some common testing and treatment techniques:
- Angiography: With sophisticated equipment, our physicians are able to examine blood flow through the dialysis access and identify whether there are any obstructions or narrowing in the blood vessels.
- Angioplasty: If there is a narrowing, or stenosis, a catheter may be used and a balloon inserted to open up the vessel to optimize blood flow.
- Stent: Should the vessel not open completely or become weakened, a stent can be transported through the catheter as well.
- Thrombectomy: If there is a collection of blood or blood clot blocking or reducing the flow, a balloon and/or a special medicine can be delivered through a catheter to help destroy the clot.
- Embolization: Sometimes there are extra vessels that develop and divert blood flow away from the graft or fistula; when this happens, tiny coils may be deployed through the catheter to close off the accessory veins.
All of these procedures are performed percutaneously, or through the skin, which means that there are no incisions or sutures required. Also, local sedation will be administered to ensure that each patient is comfortable throughout the treatment.
Our Access Center team shares their approach to care and how they make a positive difference in the lives of dialysis patients.
Meet Our Doctors
Starling is proud to have two highly skilled Transplant and Surgical Specialists, Dr. Matthew Brown and Dr. Anne Lally and two Interventional Nephrologists Dr. Scott Benson and Dr. Terrence F. Oder who work in our Newington Access Center (among other locations) to ensure healthy vascular access and also perform general surgery. They provide both office based minor procedures and hospital based care for more complex surgery.
- Dialysis access: open and endovascular dialysis access surgery including recent advances such as HeRo grafts, percutaneous avf creation, advanced Ac grafts (thigh, chest loop, cadaver is vein)
- Peritoneal dialysis catheter placement using advanced laparoscopy and percutaneous methods
- Port placement
- Lap cholecystectomy
- Hernia repair
- Subtotal parathyroidectomy
- Skin lesions
- Cyst excision
- Liver resection/hepatobiliary surgery
- Nephrectomy
- Intestinal surgery
Dr. Matthew Brown
Dr. Brown is a transplant and surgical specialist. He practiced as a transplant/general surgeon with Hartford Hospital since 1997. He served as the surgical director for liver transplantation for 15 years and is widely published on this topic. His areas of interest include renal and liver transplant, hepatobiliary general surgery, and vascular access.
At Starling, Dr. Brown’s surgical practice is based in our Dialysis Access Center in Newington. In addition to general surgery, he provides open and endovascular dialysis access surgery. This includes recent advances such as HeRo grafts, percutaneous avf creation, advanced AV grafts (thigh, chest loop, cadaver is vein). He also provides peritoneal dialysis catheter placement using advanced laparoscopy and percutaneous methods. He also has expertise in the surgical management of hyperparathyroidism. Dr. Brown performs general surgery at Hartford Hospital and the Connecticut Surgical Center. He is an expert in hernia repair abdominal surgeries, and surgeries of the kidneys and liver. He is a proud army veteran having served two tours in the Iraq War. He is a two-time recipient of the prestigious “Top Doctor” award.
Dr. Anne Lally
Dr. Lally is a transplant and surgical specialist. Since 2002, she has played a key role in the Hartford Hospital’s Department of Surgery as a transplant and general surgeon. She served as surgical director of their kidney transplant program since 2013. She has published extensively on the topic of kidney and liver transplantation. She lectures on transplant surgery and advances in dialysis access surgery.
Dr. Lally’s surgical practice is now with Starling Physicians based at the Newington Access Center. There she provides open and endovascular dialysis access surgery including recent advances such as HERO stent grafts, percutaneous and laparoscopic peritoneal catheters, and percutaneous AVF creation (WaveLinQ). She also performs fistulas and grafts for dialysis access using advance techniques: cadaveric veins, thigh grafts, Bovine grafts and chest loops. She also performs parathyroidectomy for hyperparathyroidism. In addition, she is a general surgeon at Hartford Hospital and Connecticut Surgical Center doing many procedures such as hernias, gall bladders, abdominal surgery, and procedures on the liver and kidneys.
Dr. Brown sees patients in Newington and Dr. Lally sees patients in Newington and Enfield: 860-241-0700.
Dr. Scott Benson
Scott M. Benson, DO is a fellowship-trained nephrologist at Starling Physicians – Nephrology and Internal Medicine and Middlesex Health. Dr. Benson is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both Nephrology and Internal Medicine. He completed his fellowship at Maine Medical Center following his residency at UConn Health. Dr. Benson earned his medical degree from The University of New England.
Dr. Benson sees patients in Hartford, Newington and Wethersfield: 860-241-0700.
Dr. Terrence F. Oder
Dr. Oder graduated from Harvard University and attended medical school at Boston University School of Medicine. He went on to complete an internship and residency at the Miriam Hospital/ Brown University School of Medicine. He then completed a Nephrology fellowship at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and studied Interventional Nephrology at LSU Shreveport.
He has been with Starling, formerly known as Connecticut Multispecialty Group, since 2008. Dr. Oder sees patients in Bloomfield, Farmington, and Harford, as well as at our Dialysis Access Center at 505 Willard Avenue in Newington. At our Access Center, Dr. Oder evaluates and treats common problems associated with the catheters, grafts, and fistulas necessary for dialysis access. This includes diagnostic and therapeutic AV shunt procedures, in addition to the insertion, replacement, or removal of central venous catheters. Dr. Oder is affiliated with Hartford Hospital.
Dr. Oder sees patients in Farmington, Newington, Hartford, Manchester and Wethersfield: 860-241-0700.