Atlanta Vascular Specialists Blog

Meet Dr. Eric Wellons, Atlanta Vascular Specialists Video

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 18:26:37 GMT

Meet Dr. Eric Wellons, Atlanta Vascular Specialists

We're discussing all things artery and vein related. Learn what you can do about varicose and spider veins and more!

Meet, Dr. Courtney Grant!

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 16:00:34 GMT

Meet, Dr. Courtney Grant!

Learn a little more about our newest surgeon, Dr. Courtney Grant! Dr. Grant is a fellowship-trained vascular surgeon and vein specialist, now serving patients at Atlanta Vascular Specialists.

AVS is long time supporter of the Angel Run

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:42:44 GMT

AVS is long time supporter of the Angel Run

The Angel Run is a race run in Newnan Georgia the first Saturday in February. It raises money to support a local women's shelter called the Angel's House. Dr. Wellons/AVS has been supporting this cause since 2012.”

Dr. John Dooley and Tyson Powell receive the award from the FCHS Touchdown Club for our support for the Football Program 2024

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:39:01 GMT

Dr. John Dooley and Tyson Powell receive the award from the FCHS Touchdown Club for our support for the Football Program 2024

Evans native graduates from medical school

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:35:17 GMT

A trailblazer in vascular surgery, Dr. Courtney Grant made history as the first Black woman to complete Baylor College of Medicine’s prestigious Vascular Surgery Fellowship

A trailblazer in vascular surgery, Dr. Courtney Grant made history as the first Black woman to complete Baylor College of Medicine’s prestigious Vascular Surgery Fellowship under the mentorship of Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, the father of cardiovascular surgery. Driven by her passion for patient care and medical outreach, she has served communities worldwide—from Venezuela to Tanzania—before returning to her home state of Georgia to provide expert vascular care.

Dr. Wellons on Safe, Effective Treatment for Tortuous Veins

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:32:19 GMT

Dr. Eric Wellons of Atlanta Vascular Specialists emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate treatments for varicose veins, particularly in cases involving tortuous veins.

He notes that while radiofrequency (RF) and laser ablation are effective for many varicosities, their associated catheters cannot access tortuous veins. In such scenarios, foam-based therapies, like polidocanol endovenous microfoam (Varithena), are well-suited for treatment. Dr. Wellons expresses concerns about physician-compounded foam (PCF), highlighting that PCF is not prepared in a controlled setting, leading to variability in bubble size and stability. This variability may increase the risk of complications. In contrast, polidocanol endovenous microfoam consists of small, uniform bubbles, offering a more stable and standardized therapy. Dr. Wellons concludes that polidocanol endovenous microfoam is safer and more likely to produce successful, durable results than PCF.

Atlanta Vascular Specialists protects, takes care of patients during COVID-19 crisis

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:47:24 GMT

Question: How did AVS ensure patient safety while continuing to provide expert vascular care during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Dr. Dooley’s Response: "From the very beginning of the pandemic, we made it our mission to protect both our patients and staff while ensuring people received the vascular care they needed. We implemented strict screening protocols, staggered scheduling, and enhanced sanitization measures to minimize risk and maximize safety. Patients checked in from their cars, waited in private rooms instead of lobbies, and were thoroughly screened before entering the office.

As a small private practice, we had to be proactive, adaptable, and thorough—and our incredible team stepped up to make it happen. Thanks to these measures, we were able to catch positive cases before they entered our office, refer patients for appropriate treatment, and continue safely caring for those with urgent vascular conditions. We want patients to know that delaying necessary vascular treatment isn’t the answer—our practice is *committed to providing safe, effective care no matter the circumstances."

Is the doctor working on your veins qualified to do so?

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:42:19 GMT

Question: Many people assume that if a doctor offers a vascular procedure, they must be qualified to perform it. What should patients know about choosing the right provider?

Dr. Wellons' Response: "Just because a doctor says they can perform a procedure doesn’t mean they’re properly trained or qualified to do so. In Georgia, and many other states, physicians can legally perform procedures outside their specialty—often with no formal vascular training. Unfortunately, we see patients every week who have received unnecessary, ineffective, or even harmful treatments from unqualified providers.

At Atlanta Vascular Specialists, our team is board-certified in vascular surgery, meaning we have undergone rigorous, specialized training to safely and effectively treat vein and artery conditions. We encourage all patients to ask questions, verify their doctor’s credentials, and ensure their provider is truly an expert in the field."

Pro Tip from Dr. Wellons: "Always ask if your doctor is board-certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and whether they have hospital privileges. If they don’t, that’s a major red flag that a hospital has reviewed their qualifications and deemed them unfit to perform those procedures."

Hope for the Future

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:15:55 GMT

“A lot of patients come to us in dire straits and we are able to offer them hope for the future.”

On an ordinary Tuesday in September, Dr. John Dooley placed a stent in the leg of a patient to improve blood flow to his toes and avoid amputation. He provided dialysis access to a patient with kidney failure. By the end of the day, he had cared for many other patients similarly, as he does every day at Atlanta Vascular Specialists, with one goal in mind: to help people continue their lives as normally as possible, despite having vascular disease.

“People we take care of often have other illnesses and are sick in other ways,” Dr. Dooley says. “Whether it’s leg pain from varicose veins that are debilitating and hard to deal with on a daily basis or dealing with arterial wounds to prevent amputation, a lot of patients come to us in dire straits and we are able to offer them hope for the future.”

“Taking care of a patient whose at a low point in their life either due to chronic pain or after they’ve had a stroke or an aneurysm, and being able to offer them a procedure that can change their life for the better… that’s the biggest thing for me,” Dr. Dooley says.

A board-certified vascular surgeon, Dr. Dooley uses the latest advances in technology to treat vascular conditions with minimally invasive procedures that are generally easier on the patient and require less downtime. For instance, he recently began using a new catheter device, approved for use less than a year ago, which removes blood clots with less procedural risk, no hospital stay, and without blood clot medications that can have harsh side effects. Dr. Dooley and his partners, Dr. Eric Wellons and Dr. Jim Combs, are all committed to keeping up with the newest approaches in their field.

“As a group, we’re pretty cohesive in the way we take care of patients,” Dr. Dooley says. “ We may have different opinions about the best way to tackle a problem but it’s great to be able to bounce ideas off of each other. Each patient is getting the advantage of having three surgeons weigh-in on treatment options. There’s a lot of cohesiveness and camaraderie and our patients benefit.”

Dr. Dooley is a graduate of Georgia Tech and Mercer University School of Medicine. He completed his General Surgery Residency at Atlanta Medical Center and his Vascular Fellowship at Greenville Health System, Greenville, South Carolina.

In addition to improving patients' daily lives, he enjoys developing relationships with families.

“When you bond with these families, it helps them get through hard times,” Dr. Dooley says.

“Being able to make a connection with the family is just as important as helping the patient themselves.”

Because of the genetic aspect of some vascular diseases, Dr. Dooley has had the privilege of treating multiple members of a family.

“It makes me feel like I'm doing something right when they send their mom to me when I'm taking care of them as a patient too,” he says.

Learn more at vascularspecialistofga.com/ or call 404-524-0095.

Dr. James Combs, Atlanta Vascular Specialists

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 21:25:17 GMT

Dr. James Combs, Atlanta Vascular Specialists

“We have an opportunity in vascular surgery to provide results in many ways. It’s a field where we often see immediate results.”

You may be surprised to know that a referral to a vascular surgeon does not automatically mean you’ll be adding “surgery” to an upcoming date on your calendar. Dr. Jim Combs, board-certified vascular surgeon at Atlanta Vascular Specialists, contradicts this expectation often.

“Just because you’re referred to see a vascular surgeon does not mean you need an operation,” Dr. Combs says. “So much of what we do in vascular surgery in promoting vascular health is nonoperative, conservative therapies.”

Like many other conditions, increasing exercise, improving diet, quitting smoking, and/or controlling diabetes and high blood pressure will often result in improved symptoms and quality of life.

“We do a lot of counseling on increasing activity and exercise and making sure patients are on an appropriate medication regimen. There are many medical management options for vascular disease,” Dr. Combs says.

When other measures are needed, though, the team at Atlanta Vascular Specialists combines cutting-edge technologies with years of experience to offer the best outcomes for patients. On any given day, Dr. Combs may remove blockages from a carotid artery, repair abdominal aneurysms, place stents in lower extremities, implant dialysis access ports, or remove varicose or spider veins.

“We have an opportunity in vascular surgery to provide results in many ways,” Dr. Combs notes. “It’s a field where we often see immediate results and even when it takes a little longer, we see people’s quality of life improve.”

A graduate of the University of Georgia and the Medical College of Georgia, Dr. Combs completed a fellowship in General Surgery and Vascular Surgery at Atlanta Medical Center.

He notes that it is important when seeking care for vascular conditions to find a provider board-certified in their specialty and to make sure they’re maintaining those certifications. Patients can verify a doctor’s certifications with the American Board of Medical Specialities by visiting abms.org/verify-certification/.

“Always ask the provider about the procedures they are performing in an outpatient setting and which hospitals they have privileges to do similar procedures,” Dr. Combs also advises. “Ask ‘where else do you perform these procedures? What hospitals are you on staff at?’”

When they don’t have hospital credentials, Dr. Combs says, “it’s a big red flag.”

Atlanta Vascular Specialists have been caring for patients for 40 years. Dr. Combs works alongside two other board-certified vascular surgeons, Dr. Eric Wellons and Dr. John Dooley, in their outpatient clinics in Fayetteville and Newnan and with operating credentials at Piedmont Fayette and Piedmont Newnan hospitals.

Dr. Combs sings the praises of his fellow partners and the team that supports them.

“As a surgeon, you rely heavily on the people around you. I know that whatever needs to be done for our patients, this staff is going to attend to that. I have total trust in their abilities and in their care for everybody who comes in here. Together, we provide excellent care.”

Learn more at vascularspecialistofga.com/ or call 404-524-0095

Board Certified Surgeons at Atlanta Vascular Specialists Treat Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, and Leg Pain and Swelling

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 21:22:58 GMT

Board Certified Surgeons at Atlanta Vascular Specialists Treat Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, and Leg Pain and Swelling

If you suffer from varicose veins, spider veins, leg pain or swelling, there’s no need to put off getting help. Atlanta Vascular Specialists, a highly trained, experienced team of vascular surgeons, is qualified and ready to treat your vein-related conditions within minutes of your Fayette home.

Most treatments are minimally invasive and are performed in-office with little downtime. Moreover, you can call for a free vein screening to find out what the best course of treatment is for your condition.

“We stay at the forefront of the newest vascular treatments,” explains Dr. Eric Wellons, a board-certified vascular surgeon who leads the team at Atlanta Vascular Specialists in Fayetteville. “All of the treatments we offer are cutting-edge. Our goal is to bring the most advanced treatments to people in Fayette County and the Southern Arc, so they don’t have to travel to Atlanta for treatment.”

A graduate of the University of Virginia Medical School, Dr. Wellons has been a practicing vascular surgeon since 2002. He was inspired to enter the field by his father, a well-respected cardiovascular surgeon, and by the evolving advances in vascular specialties.

Dr. Wellons explains that vascular surgeons operate on arteries outside the heart and brain and on veins. Distinguishing the difference between the two life-giving conduits is important.

“Arteries take blood from your heart to your whole body,” Dr. Wellons says. “They keep your parts alive. They’re essentially the conduit that keeps every piece of you alive. Veins take the blood from wherever they went back to your heart.”

One of the more common conditions Atlanta Vascular Specialists treat are blocked arteries. These procedures can restore blood flow to legs, limbs and other parts of the body. Other arterial conditions Dr. Wellons commonly treats are aneurysms, strokes, and peripheral arterial disease.

Patients with arterial conditions are generally referred to Atlanta Vascular Specialists by other specialists and doctors. It’s important to note that you can request the specialists you prefer.

Veins have no mechanism, no pump, Dr. Wellons explains, for sending blood back to your heart. How does it go back?

“As you walk the muscles help move the blood through the veins,” Dr. Wellons says. “It moves somewhat passively.”

Veins have one-way valves that allow the blood from the feet to return to the heart and also to prevent it from flowing back to the feet, he explains. When those valves are not working properly, people can experience varicose or spider veins or venous insufficiency. Many treatments and procedures are available to relieve these conditions.

Spider veins are small veins that may begin to show up under the skin. They can itch, Dr. Wellons says, but for the most part, they’re something to treat cosmetically. Varicose veins tend to be larger, more prominent veins that are more symptomatic.

“Varicose veins generally cause more aches than spider veins and can sometimes indicate that you have bigger veins that are not working right,” Dr. Wellons explains.

Varicose veins are larger than spider veins and may cause swelling. Although the condition is rarely a significant health risk, patients experiencing discomfort or who are bothered by the appearance are encouraged to seek treatment.

If your legs ache and feel heavy, particularly if at the end of the day there is swelling that was not present in the morning, you’re someone who should get a vein screening, Dr. Wellon says. Also, if there is dark discoloration of your ankles, especially on the inner ankle, screening is recommended.

For each of these conditions, Atlanta Vascular Specialists offer cutting edge treatments that can quickly improve daily living and activities.

“Currently, their are doctors from a variety of specialties treating venous disease in the outpatient setting,” Dr. Wellon says. “It is important that patient’s have a choice in their surgical specialists and are informed regarding their doctor’s credentials. To make sure that your doctor is appropriately trained in treating all aspects of venous disease, you may check their board certification on the American Board of Medical Specialties. The other thing you may ask is which hospitals they hold privileges to do the same or similar procedures. “

“Make sure the person you see is board certified or board eligible in that specialty,” Dr. Wellons says. “You should be able to ask for credentials, and they should be able to produce them.”

The American Board of Medical Specialities certifies almost every specialty. You can look up a doctor’s certifications by visiting abms.org/verify-certification/

“That’s the differentiation,” Dr. Wellons says. “It should always be the differentiation.”

Dr. Wellons practices alongside Dr. James M. Combs, board certified vascular surgeon, and Dr. John D. Dooley, board eligible vascular surgeon. The trio has offices in Fayetteville, Sharpsburg, and Newnan for your convenience.

To schedule a vein screening or for more information, call 404-524-0095 or visit vascularspecialistofga.com.

Be Ready for Beach Season

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 21:19:07 GMT

A Father’s Day Story: Father and son surgeons operate side-by-side

You may be huddled up with a hot drink by the fire when you read this, but summer is coming. Your favorite warm-weather activities are weeks away and those sweaters and leggings we’re hiding extra holiday pounds and all sorts of things under will be coming off soon.

Unsightly spider or varicose veins don’t have to make winter your favorite time of year. You can shed those extra layers of clothing with confidence this year with quick and easy treatments by a premiere team of vascular surgeons at Atlanta Vascular Specialists, which includes Dr. John Dooley.

Dr. Dooley defines spider veins as small, hair-like veins usually found on the legs. In some cases, they may cause tingling, itching, or irritation but many patients seek treatment because they can be cosmetically unappealing.

Varicose veins are significantly larger which can be painful as well as unattractive. Symptoms can include swelling, pain, aching, heaviness and cramping in the legs. Bleeding in the varicose veins can occur in some individuals and can be a big problem, according to Dr. Dooley.

The cause of either of these conditions is difficult to confirm, but genetics play a role in many cases, Dr. Dooley says. Also, people who have jobs or activities in which they are standing for long periods of time also may be more prone to developing varicose veins.

Dr. Dooley and the team at Atlanta Vascular Specialists perform a procedure called sclerotherapy to get rid of spider veins. The treatments involves using a tiny needle to inject a sclerosant into the vein, which is essentially a chemical that causes it to close. Following the 20-minute procedure, the patient’s legs are wrapped in a little compression wrap which helps compress the veins for more thorough healing. Normal activities can usually be resumed quickly. Spider veins typically disappear over a six-week period.

“I often hear patients say ‘I can finally wear shorts again’ or ‘I can wear a dress again without feeling embarrassed,’” Dr. Dooley says. “Being able to go about your life normally without being self-conscious can be very important to people.”

Treatment for spider veins is considered cosmetic and is typically an out-of-pocket expense. Costs are around $250 per treatment. Since most people have multiple areas affected, a series of treatments may be needed. Atlanta Vascular Specialists offers discounts for multi-treatment packages.

Varicose veins can be treated in a couple of different ways, Dr. Dooley explains. One of those is radiofrequency ablation, in which a heating process and special IV work together to close off the vein. Some veins are treated best with a special foam material called Verithena. It accomplishes the same goal, which is to cause the vein to close.

Most insurance companies cover the cost of treatment for varicose veins. A formal medical visit including an ultrasound and review of a patient’s medical history is the beginning of this process. Atlanta Vascular Specialists works with your insurance company to determine eligibility. The approval process can take a month or so but the procedures themselves are also quick in-office procedures followed by short downtimes.

“Typically, we tell you to take it easy for a few days, but you can return to work the next day without any issue,” Dr. Dooley says. “Just no heavy lifting for several weeks after.

Often after years of dealing with leg pain and cramping, patients with varicose veins often find a significant improvement in their quality of life.

Dr. Dooley notes that many other doctors, from plastic surgeons to general surgeons, to ER doctors, cardiologists, and dermatologists, are offering vein procedures without appropriate credentials or training. Veins are very important to your overall health and should be trusted only to professionals who are certified in this specialty.

The American Board of Medical Specialities certifies almost every specialty. You can look up a doctor’s certifications by visiting abms.org/verify-certification/.

Dr. Dooley practices alongside Dr. James M. Combs and Dr. Eric Wellons, who are both also board-certified vascular surgeons, The trio has offices in Fayetteville, Sharpsburg, and Newnan for your convenience.

Winter months are the ideal season to address spider and varicose veins. Be ready for beachseason. Schedule a vein screening with Atlanta Vascular Specialists today. Call 404-524-0095 or visit vascularspecialistofga.com.

Atlanta Vascular Specialists protects, takes care of patients during COVID-19 crisis

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:00:00 GMT

A Father’s Day Story: Father and son surgeons operate side-by-side

If you experience discomfort and swelling from varicose veins or have achy, heavy legs or swelling or discoloration of the ankle, particularly at the end of the day, there’s no need to postpone treatment until after the pandemic.

Atlanta Vascular Specialists, caring for patients in the Atlanta area for more than 40 years, continues to treat patients with artery and vein-related conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic with the highest degree of safety.

The board-certified vascular surgeons at Atlanta Vascular Specialists routinely perform procedures to treat arterial conditions such as blocked arteries, aneurysms, and peripheral arterial disease, as well as vein-related conditions such as venous insufficiency and varicose veins.

Dr. Eric Wellons, Dr. James Combs, and Dr. John Dooley, the trio of surgeons who perform these procedures, came together at the very beginning of the pandemic to be as proactive as possible about protecting patients and staff.

“At the beginning of the pandemic, we rotated teams,” Dr. John Dooley explains. “So we had half of our office stay out. We continued as normal, and then if someone were to be sick or not feel well, we would sub someone in so that they wouldn’t feel obligated to come in, and we could have them rest for two weeks at home to get tested and ensure that they weren’t sick.”

The doctors also researched safety procedures as well as guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control. As a result, the team at Atlanta Vascular Specialists has instituted several new clinic protocols and screening processes.

Staff members wear N95 masks at all times, both when treating patients and interacting with each other. Patients are required to wear masks while in the office as well. The doctors supply masks to patients who don’t bring their own.

Temperature checks are performed on staff and patients at the door. Anyone with a fever above 100.4 is sent home.

Patients are screened by phone within 48 hours of their appointment, answering questions that cover travel, general health conditions, and exposure to the virus. Answers to these questions determine whether it is safe for the patient to come in for the scheduled appointment. Patients who can’t be reached before their appointment are screened before entering the office.

“We have been able to catch some positive cases before they came into the office,” Dr. John Dooley says. “We referred them to the emergency room. They were tested positive for COVID, and then they were appropriately treated at the hospital.”

As part of the new procedures to protect staff and patients during the pandemic, Atlanta Vascular Specialists allots more time between appointments to prevent a backup of arriving patients.

To protect patients further, wait times have been shortened between patient arrival and the clinical process in several ways. More time is allotted between appointments to prevent a backup of arriving patients, who call the office from the parking lot to check in with the clinic. There is no waiting inside the

office. Once called to come into the office from the parking lot, patients go through the lobby, drop off insurance cards or copayments if needed, and proceed straight to an exam or procedure room. Any additional paperwork needed is completed in the room. Once this is finished, a medical assistant interfaces between the patient and the check-in/check-out desk.

Surgical standards for disinfecting and cleaning in the clinic have always been a high priority at Atlanta Vascular Specialists. Clinical staff wears gloves, putting on a new set for each appointment, and exam and procedure rooms are thoroughly sanitized between patients. New protocols include using sanitizing wipes to wipe down clipboards and pens. Even the numbers which hang on doors to let doctors know the order in which to see patients are wiped down between uses.

“We think that doing those things has helped protect our staff and ourselves and enabled us to keep going,” Dr. Dooley says. “As a small private practice, we have to be very on top of it in order to continue to take care of these folks.”

Dr. Dooley praised Atlanta Vascular’s support staff, who have been diligent in supporting new protocols and safety measures from the beginning.

“We have buy-in from the staff so that we can protect them and their ability to continue to help take care of the patients,” Dr. Dooley says. “And a lot of it isn’t just what they’ve done in the office. It’s their behavior out of the office. We asked folks if they must travel, please tell us, and to hold off on any non-essential travel.

The goal of the entire team at Atlanta Vascular Specialists is to help people continue their lives as normally as possible, despite having vascular or vein conditions. Dr. Eric Wellons, Dr. James Combs, and Dr. Dooley combine cutting-edge technologies with years of experience to offer the best outcome for patients. Patients have the advantage of having a trio of experienced vascular surgeons collaborating on the best treatment option for each patient.

From potentially life-saving surgeries performed in hospital operating rooms to minimally invasive office procedures for varicose or other vein conditions, Atlanta Vascular Specialists take care of patients safely and efficiently. Most treatments are performed in-office and require little downtime for recovery.

“Some of the procedures we do are truly elective and can be put off for a while,” Dr. Dooley says. “But a lot of our patients, even when it’s not emergent artery disease in the lower extremity that can result in limb loss, typically need to be treated sooner than later.”

“Even varicose vein issues that are present when a wound in the lower leg is present need to be addressed sooner than later to help prevent infection and hospitalization,” Dr. Dooley says. “Carotid artery disease that leads to stroke in patients who may or may not have already had a stroke needs to be treated in a short period of time. And certainly aortic aneurysms and that kind of thing – those don’t wait.”

Patients with arterial conditions are generally referred by other specialists and doctors. It’s important to note that you can request the specialists you prefer. You can ask your doctor to refer you to the experienced surgeons at Atlanta Vascular Specialists, which have operating privileges at Piedmont Fayette and Piedmont Newnan hospitals.

When seeking care for vascular disease or conditions such as varicose or spider veins, Dr. Dooley stresses the importance of finding a provider board-certified in vascular surgery. To ensure they’re maintaining those certifications, patients can verify a doctor’s certifications with the American Board of Medical Specialities by visiting abms.org/verify-certification/.

“We encourage people who may have vascular or vein conditions to come into the office to let us evaluate them,” Dr. Dooley says. “Bear with us with some of the inconvenience related to the pandemic, but don’t wait at home with serious vascular conditions.”

A Father’s Day Story: Father and son surgeons operate side-by-side

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 18:34:08 GMT

A Father’s Day Story: Father and son surgeons operate side-by-side

It was the summer of 2011.

Dr. Eric Wellons was in a predicament. The senior partner at his medical practice had retired. An associate working under him had left. He was short-handed with a heavy caseload.

“I was by myself, and I couldn’t do it,” Eric says.

A board-certified vascular surgeon, Eric was managing a growing practice at Atlanta Vascular Specialists in Fayette and Coweta counties. A year before, he had started a center for dialysis patients. In addition to the routine and life-saving surgeries he provided daily, he needed to staff the dialysis center five days a week. With multiple offices to oversee and a growing number of patients relying on him, Eric did what a lot of us have done at one time or another. He picked up the phone and asked his father for help.

The thing is, though, most of us don’t have a father who is a retired professor of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery.

“Most of the stuff I was doing was all within the scope of what he had been doing for years,” Eric says, “so I asked him to come for a year just to help me figure it out. He could see patients in the office and allow me more flexibility.”

Eric’s parents uprooted from an active retirement life in Charlottesville, Va., to live in an apartment in Fayetteville for nearly a year. It was no small sacrifice. His father has many friends and interests in the community where he was a professor for 17 years. Eric’s mother left an active practice in real estate at that time.

“Practically speaking, it didn’t make sense to come down on a week’s basis, so what we basically did was move down to Fayetteville,” Dr. Harry “Bert” Wellons Jr. says. “We felt like it was something we needed to do to support our son.”

And they both enjoyed the side benefit of getting to spend more time with the grandkids.

It wasn’t the first time the father-son duo had worked together. Two decades earlier, dring medical school, he had “scrubbed” with his dad for a month during an elective rotation.

“I had seen him in operations in high school,” Eric says, “but this time I actually got to operate with him.”

“When I was trained we were taught cardiac, thoracic, and also peripheral vascular surgery,” Bert explains. “Today because of advances it has been divided into three separate specialities.”

Eric says his father did “the whole kit and caboodle,” and Bert’s bonafides just keep on going. In addition to operating a successful cardiovascular practice in Springfield, Ill., and being a professor of surgery in Virginia and Illinois for many years, he served two years in the U.S. Army

Medical Corp., doing a tour during the Vietnam War at the 106th General Hospital based in Yokohama, Japan. In fact, Eric was born in Japan while his father served there.

The elder doctor says there was no pressure on Eric or any of their four children to follow in his footsteps. He didn’t even know Eric had an interest in medicine until he was well into college.

“I don’t know whether I ought to tell this story, but you know as kids I’d take them along on rounds in the hospital from time to time,” Bert says. “I remember the first time I did that with Eric he didn’t tolerate it very well. He got a little bit light-headed.”

The younger Wellons clearly outgrew his squeamishness. From Dartmouth, he went to medical school at the University of Virginia where his father trained and taught for so many years. It was after the surgical elective “scrubbing” with his father that Eric really began to lean toward being a surgeon.

Introduced to the newest procedures in residency, both men have blazed a trail through medical advances.

“When I came into the world there was no such thing as cardiac surgery at all,” Bert says. “In fact, antibiotics had just been discovered. When I started medical school, they were just starting to do open heart surgery. When I did my year of training at UVA, I scrubbed with the chief of surgery doing the first coronary bypass that he did here.”

During residency in Baltimore, Eric witnessed firsts too.

“I had a really good mentor for vascular surgery,” Eric says. “The thing that was great about him was we were at a small hospital in Baltimore, Union Memorial Hospital, right across from Hopkins. You think of Baltimore you think of Johns Hopkins, and the cool thing was he was doing the most advanced vascular surgery in all of Baltimore. I mean Hopkins didn’t even come close. The University of Maryland didn’t come close. He was doing aortic stent grafts. He was on the forefront of all of that, plus a lot of peripheral angioplasty, stent placement, all of these things that were not part of vascular surgery but he was one of the first to do them. That was really neat.”

Both agree that change is the constant you can count on in medicine.

“What you learn when you’ve been in it as long as I have is be willing to adapt to change because it’s gonna happen,” Bert says.

Today, Eric is senior partner at Atlanta Vascular Specialists, which has offices in Fayetteville, Sharpsburg, and Newnan.

“We stay at the forefront of the newest vascular treatments,” Eric says. “All of the treatments we offer are cutting-edge. Our goal is to bring the most advanced procedures to people in Fayette County and the Southern Arc, so they don’t have to travel to Atlanta for treatment.”

The two men have fond memories of their year in the trenches together.

The role reversal, the collegiality, were fun. The elder doctor, for example, gave his son a healthy dose of his teasing, good-natured point of view.

“He always had an opinion about how to do a case,” Eric recalls. “I believe he felt I was as good as anyone he had worked with, but it did not stop him from talking about how he would do it or why I did it the way I did.”

“As adult colleagues, we have a natural level of mutual respect which is very good,” Bert says.

“The thing I have enjoyed a lot with Eric is when he has a difficult problem he doesn’t mind bouncing it off of me. You know, it’s nice to have your son call you to ask you for advice on things like that.”

He also praises Eric’s technical skills and the way he runs his practice.

“His technical skills are really quite good,” he says. “I think that his knowledge of his profession is superb. Quite frankly, I just think because of his focus on the needs of the patient, he’s a good doctor.”

“One of the things I respect a lot is that he practices with a high degree of integrity. He’s not pushing the envelope for remuneration so much as making the decision on the basis of what’s best for patients. I think that’s one of his strongest positions really.”

Bert and Eric share a fierce passion for their chosen profession.

Eric enjoys all of his work, from caring for patients with the simplest to the riskiest procedures.

“It doesn’t matter what it is or how big an operation it is, it’s that you solve someone’s problem,” Eric says. “That’s the satisfaction.”

Bert agrees. “One of the things in surgery is you almost always see immediate results. To see how it changes lives: it’s a very rewarding thing.”

“The place I always enjoyed being the most was in the operating room,” Bert says. “To me, it was a sanctuary. It was just where I wanted to be.”

Eric appreciates his father’s technical skills. He talks about how his dad makes a “teeny” incision right over where the carotid artery divides, a technique that gives a much better cosmetic result, something patients love. He appreciates the chance he had to learn these skills from his father.

“There were things that he did differently than almost anybody I had ever seen. He told me how to do it and so i just started doing it. I do them like Dad.”

Courtney Grant: No Place Like Home

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 15:37:09 GMT

Question: What inspired you to return to Georgia to practice medicine?

Dr. Courtney Grant’s Response: "Georgia is home. There’s something special about practicing medicine where you share a connection with your patients and your community—it makes the work even more fulfilling. After training at one of the nation’s top vascular surgery programs, I knew I wanted to bring my expertise back to serve the people of Georgia.

As a first-generation college graduate and the first Black woman to complete Baylor College of Medicine’s vascular surgery fellowship, I also want to inspire and mentor future generations, especially women and women of color, to pursue careers in medicine. We need more bright, passionate women in surgery and surgical subspecialties, and I want to show them that it’s possible.