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All of our physicians have the highest level of certification from the American Board of Medical Specialties: the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Vascular and Interventional Radiology.
Luke E. Sewall, MD
Dr. Sewall received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, where he also completed an internship in surgery. He completed residency training at the University of Wisconsin followed by a fellowship in interventional radiology at the Charles Dotter Institute of Interventional Therapy of the Oregon Health Sciences University. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology, and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Interventional Radiology.
His special areas of interest include non-surgical placement of Endovascular Grafts - which can replace some types of bypass surgery. His experience with aortic endografts goes back to before they were commercially available, when he hand-made his own grafts. He started the aortic endograft program in our practice, and has placed hundreds or grafts successfully. He trains other physicians to perform aortic endografting as part of the faculty at the Society of Interventional Radiology annual meeting.
He is experienced at other interventional radiology techniques, such as procedures to open clogged blood vessels (peripheral arterial disease), treat blood clots or stop bleeding without the risks associated with open surgery, minimally invasive cancer treatment, and UFE. Dr. Sewall is a member of several professional societies, including the Radiologic Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the Society of Interventional Radiology and the American Medical Association.
He has authored and co-authored numerous articles, scientific exhibits and book chapters.
Steven J. Smith, MD
Dr. Smith is experienced in evaluating and treating patients with peripheral arterial disease. He has been a practicing Interventional Radiologist for 25 years.
Dr. Smith's other special interests include non-surgical repair of spine fractures, varicocele embolization, uterine fibroid embolization, and minimally invasive treatment of chronic pelvic pain in women.
Dr. Smith earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. He served his internship and residency in Radiology at the Henry Ford Hospital, also in Detroit. He then completed a fellowship in Interventional Radiology and in CT/Ultrasound at Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, where he served as Clinical Associate Professor in Diagnostic Radiology for over twenty years.
Dr. Smith is certified in Diagnostic Radiology by the American Board of Radiology and also is board-certified in Vascular and Interventional Radiology. His professional memberships include the Radiologic Society of North America and the Society of Interventional Radiology.
He is the author of numerous published articles, presentations and scientific exhibits, and he serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.
Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital was chosen as a core site to participate in a study of 3,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe treated with UFE for uterine fibroids. Dr. Smith is a core-site investigator in the study, the largest of its kind in the world.
Dr. Smith has been selected as one of Chicago's Top Doctors by Chicago Magazine in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, and was named one of America's Top doctors by Castle Connoly's guide and Consumer Reports.
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Athanasios Vlahos, MD Dr. Vlahos completed his medical school training at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria, Illinois. He completed his Radiology residency training and his interventional radiology training at the University of Illinois OSF Saint Francis Medical center in Peoria, Illinois. He is a member of the society of Interventional Radiology, the Radiologic Society of North America, and the American College of Radiology. Dr Vlahos is board-certified in diagnostic radiology, and vascular and interventional radiology. His special areas of interest include minimally invasive treatment of peripheral arterial disease, treatment of varicose vein disease, and interventional oncology. |
Frank Facchini, MD
Dr. Facchini is a board-certified physician in Interventional Radiology. Dr. Facchini received his medical degree from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. He completed an internship in surgery at the University of Chicago. He completed residency training followed by a fellowship in interventional radiology at Northwestern University. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology, and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Interventional Radiology.
In addition, his special areas of interest include minimally invasive treatment of cancer (interventional oncology) and non-surgical placement of endovascular grafts . He is part of the Society of Interventional Radiology teaching faculty, and trains other physicians in aortic endografting. Dr. Facchini is a member of several professional societies, including the Radiologic Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the Society of Interventional Radiology and the American Medical Association.
He maintains an academic appointment as a Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology at Northwestern University and has authored and co-authored numerous articles, scientific exhibits and book chapters.
Michael Sichlau, MD
Dr. Michael Sichlau is a board-certified interventional radiologist, who has been in practice for 10 years. He has worked with thousands of patients with a wide variety of conditions that can be treated with Interventional Radiology. Dr. Sichlau has authored numerous publications and lectures, and he regularly trains other physicians in various Interventional Radiology techniques.
Dr. Sichlau received his MD degree from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 1994, and went on to train in diagnostic radiology at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. He then returned to Chicago to complete a fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology at Northwestern University. He is board-certified in diagnostic radiology, and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Vascular and Interventional Radiology. He is also a Registered Vascular Technologist, certified by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
In addition to general Interventional Radiology, Dr. Sichlau has specific interest in interventional oncology, which applies Interventional Radiology techniques to treating many types of cancer. Dr. Sichlau also has extensive experience in treating in treating aortic aneurysms, varicose vein disorders and vertebral compression fractures. He also trains other doctors to place aortic endografts as a faculty member of the Society of Interventional Radiology. Professional society memberships include the Society of Interventional Radiology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and American College of Phlebology.
Dr. Sichlau is an Assistant Professor at the Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine. Aside from numerous publications, lectures, and book chapters, Dr. Sichlau is a reviewer for the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.
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Andrew Blum , MD Dr. Blum is a graduate of University of North Carolina School of Medicine, and completed an internship in general surgery at New York University Medical Center. His postgraduate training also included a radiology residency at Long Island College Hospital and a vascular interventional fellowship at Emory University Medical Center. Dr. Blum is board certified in Radiology by the American Board of Radiology, and holds a Certificate of Added Qualifications in Interventional radiology. Dr. Blum practices at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, in Elmhurst, Illinois. He may be contacted at (630) 993-5101. |
Quinn Thalheimer, PA
Quinn Thalheimer is a Physician Assistant working alongside the physicians of VIR. He graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Health Sciences, and a minor in psychology. He holds a Paramedic degree from AS School of Medicine. He graduated from the physician assistant program at Midwestern University.
Quinn's experience includes work as a physical therapy assistant, and a tour as an EMT-paramedic. He is certified in advanced cardiac life support and pediatric advanced life support. He holds an Illinois Physician Assistant license, and works closely with our doctors in providing the highest level of patient care.
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