Dr. Omaida C. Velázquez, MD, FACS

Expert Publications

• Emergency repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms with immediate presentation.
• Failure of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm graft limbs.
• Endovascular AAA repair in patients with renal insufficiency: strategies for reducing adverse renal events.
• Potential impact of therapeutic warfarin treatment on type II endoleaks and sac shrinkage rates on midterm follow-up examination.
• Limb interventions in patients undergoing treatment with an unsupported bifurcated aortic endograft system: a review of the Phase II EVT Trial.
• Regulation of Notch1 and Dll4 by vascular endothelial growth factor in arterial endothelial cells: implications for modulating arteriogenesis and angiogenesis.
• The vascular phenotype of melanoma metastasis.
• VEGF-A and alphaVbeta3 integrin synergistically rescue angiogenesis via N-Ras and PI3-K signaling in human microvascular endothelial cells.
• The utility of commercially available endografts in the treatment of contained ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with hemodynamic stability.
• Use of CT angiography to classify endoleaks after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• Vascular endothelial growth factor-C promotes vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and collagen constriction in three-dimensional collagen gels.
• Angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and induction of healing in chronic wounds.
• Normal human fibroblasts enable melanoma cells to induce angiogenesis in type I collagen.
• The bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cell response is impaired in delayed wound healing from ischemia.
• Structural MRI of carotid artery atherosclerotic lesion burden and characterization of hemispheric cerebral blood flow before and after carotid endarterectomy.

Media Releases

Get to know Vascular Surgeon Dr. Omaida C. Velázquez, who serves patients in Miami, Florida.

Dr. Velázquez is a respected, board-certified vascular surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). Her clinical expertise focuses on endovascular and other minimally invasive approaches in the surgical treatment of vascular diseases. She has extensive expertise in both open and endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms, open and endovascular treatments for carotid, mesenteric, and renal stenosis, as well as novel treatments for critical limb ischemia.

In August of 2015, she was appointed Professor and Chair of the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. She is also Surgeon-in-Chief for the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery & Jackson Health System.

“We provide patients with treatments and we work hard through research for new cures. While we are doing that, we are teaching the new generation not to be complacent, and to keep working for a better future where diseases are cured” expressed Dr. Velázquez.

Previously, she was Professor, Chief, and the David Kimmelman Endowed Chair in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.

Back in 1980, Dr. Velázquez and her family emigrated to the United States from Cuba. When she arrived at age 14, she spoke no English, yet she was determined to become a physician. She eventually settled in New Jersey where she majored in chemical engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology. She then went on to attend the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, graduating Valedictorian in her class of 1991. Upon graduation, she completed her internship, residencies in general surgery and vascular surgery, and fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Wanting to further her knowledge, she pursued additional years in research and was the recipient of the 1997 Jonathan E. Rhoads Research Award. She received the von Liebig Foundation Award for Excellence in Vascular Surgical Research (2001), the University of Pennsylvania Center of Excellence Faculty Scholar Award (2002), and the Joel J. Roslyn Faculty Research Award (2003). Before joining the Miller School of Medicine, she served on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania for eight years and became an Associate Professor with tenure.

In addition to her roles as a surgeon and a scientist, Dr. Velázquez served as the Executive Dean of Research, Research Education, and Innovative Medicine for the Miller School of Medicine.  Under her leadership, investigators across campus saw the clinical research infrastructure enhanced, administrative processes de-mystified, and interdepartmental communications increased.

A member of the American Surgical Association, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the Society for Vascular Surgery, she is board-certified in surgery and vascular surgery by the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The ABS is an independent, non-profit organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded for the purpose of certifying surgeons who have met a defined standard of education, training, and knowledge. 

The doctor’s current research focuses on further understanding and advancing new treatments for lower extremity arterial occlusive disease and diabetes-related wound healing defects. Dr. Velázquez is the Principal Investigator of a NIH-funded basic science laboratory that investigates endothelial cell biology, angiogenesis, and vasculogenesis. 

Vascular surgery is a surgical subspecialty in which diseases of the vascular system, including the arteries, veins, and lymphatic circulation, are managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures, and surgical reconstruction. A vascular surgeon diagnoses, treats, and manages conditions in the arteries and veins, also called the blood vessels. These specialists treat a range of health problems, from spider and varicose veins to life-threatening aneurysms, and can help patients manage chronic conditions throughout their lives.

On a more personal note, Dr. Velázquez is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Recommended Articles

• How Can I Improve Varicose Veins?

  Varicose veins can affect your self esteem, since they are distressing and painful. These veins can develop anywhere in the body, although the legs are commonly affected. They are usually twisted, swollen and deep purple or blue in color.When blood starts accumulating in the veins as a result of...

• Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

  What is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)?Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of genetic disorders that affect the body’s connective tissues, which are proteins that support the blood vessels, skin, bones, and other organs in the body. Connective tissues also provide elasticity and strength to the...

• How is Deep Vein Thrombosis Treated?

  The formation of blood clots in one of the deep veins in the leg may not be entirely serious alone. However, if the clot breaks off and moves towards the heart and other organs, it may lead to complications. Blood clots in the leg may cause leg pain but may also not cause any symptoms at all....

• The Causes of Varicose Veins

  Also referred to as varicosities, varicose veins develop when the veins expand or become engorged and overcrowded with blood. Having a red or blue-purplish appearance, varicose veins can be very painful. They are commonly seen as engorged or elevated.The condition mostly affects women; however, half...

• How are Varicose Veins Diagnosed?

  Blood from body organs is transported to the heart via blood vessels, or veins.  Organs use oxygen to function, and they discharge blood that has been used that contains waste products like carbon dioxide. The veins then take the blood to the heart and back to the lungs, where the carbon dioxide is...

• Decubitus Ulcers or Pressure Ulcers: What Are They?

  Decubitus ulcers or pressure ulcers, more commonly known as bedsores, are open wounds on your skin due to the prolonged pressure applied to the area. These ulcers occur mostly over the bony prominences such as the hips, tailbone, ankle, and heels. Bedsores are a frequent condition experienced by...