Dr. Fadi A. Saab
It’s all about connecting with patients.
That’s what drives Fadi A. Saab, MD, FASE, FACC, FSCAI. “In this age of consolidation, with everything becoming bigger and larger and centralized, it’s sometimes difficult to establish that personal connection between a physician and patient, especially with the existing push that time is of the essence,” he says. “We knew we wanted to practice in a different way.”
This is why Dr. Fadi A. Saab and Dr. Jihad Mustapha, founded Advanced Cardiac & Vascular Centers for Amputation Prevention. It is their vision that this center, which opened in February 2018, will be the first of many, creating a nationwide network focused on treating patients who are seeking specialized cardiac care and alternatives to limb amputation.
A native of Lebanon but born and raised in Kuwait, Dr. Fadi A. Saab was forced to flee his war-stricken home at just 13. He and his family returned to their native Lebanon before he moved to the United States in 1999. Dr. Fadi A. Saab completed his residency at Wayne State University and earned his Cardiovascular Fellowship through Tufts University School of Medicine in Massachusetts.
Dr. Fadi A. Saab dedicated two years to conducting Cardiovascular research at the University of Michigan, also earning a Fellowship in Echocardiography and Ultrasound Imaging at St. John Hospital in Detroit.
Regarded as a leader in the field of Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD), Dr. Fadi A. Saab has authored many papers on the topic and has traveled throughout the country lecturing, training and teaching many of his peers on the intricate and strategic work involved in Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI). Reduced blood flow to one or both legs causes severe pain for patients and ultimately obstructed arteries, which leads to CLI. It is at that critical point that limb salvage, not amputation, is Dr. Fadi A. Saab’s goal. In addition to his expertise in PVD, Dr. Fadi A. Saab also specializes in treating varicose veins and cardiac issues, including high blood pressure and carotid artery disease.
He credits much of his success to his desire to connect with his patients and their specific needs to help them understand their condition and treatment options. “We made a conscious decision to provide more patient-centered care – the type of care where you listen to your patients and empathize with each of their unique stories,” Dr. Fadi A. Saab explains. “It is that connection that drives me.”
It’s also the ability to provide options for patients – other than amputation. He recalled a patient who had a leg amputated tell him: “When you lose a part of your leg, you lose a part of your life. It’s never the same after.”
“Amputation does not always have to be the answer because prevention can be the solution,” advocates Dr. Fadi A. Saab. “There is nothing more rewarding to me than seeing a patient whom I treated, who was told amputation is the only option, WALK proudly into my office for a follow-up visit.”
Specializing in endovascular intervention, Dr. Fadi A. Saab is board-certified in Interventional Cardiology, General Cardiology, Nuclear Cardiology, Echocardiography and Internal Medicine. He serves as a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and he is Co-Director of the AMPutation Prevention Symposium (AMP), an international conference focusing on CLI therapy.
