Innovation, access, and compassion come together to preserve limbs and improve lives.
Story by Matt McGarry
Appeared in Cityview Magazine, Vol. 42, Issue 2 (March/April 2026)
When APEX Vascular first opened its doors, its founder Dr. Chris Pollock had a clear mission; to put an end to unnecessary limb amputations. For Dr. Pollock, that vision has been the guiding principle for APEX Vascular’s growth; from its addition of experienced surgeons and evolution in surgical procedures, to the opening of multiple locations across the state. In the past three years they have treated over 10,000 patients in East Tennessee.
The mission to preserve limbs is grounded in a sobering reality; many of the APEX Vascular’s patients—a significant number of them senior citizens—arrive with non‑healing wounds, often on their legs or feet, and frequently related to diabetes or circulation problems. These are wounds that simply won’t heal because the patient’s blood flow is compromised. Dr. Pollock is quick to point out a statistic that continues to motivate his work: “As unbelievable as this sounds,” he says, “roughly half of patients who undergo amputation are never evaluated by a vascular surgeon first. It is essential that individuals know that in many cases—with prompt, proper care—a limb amputation can often be avoided.”
A Small Practice with Large Practice Capabilities
Despite now offering a wide range of vascular care treatments, APEX Vascular continues to operate as a smaller, “boutique” practice. Dr. Pollock believes this enables his team to offer highly-specialized procedures in a way that is both calming and personalized. “Unlike many other practices, which are predominantly larger, we’re able to provide patients with a low‑stress, family‑like atmosphere,” he says. “We know that patients do better when their stress levels are down, when they have confidence and comfort in their care and their physicians,” he explains.
That commitment to patient-centered comfort shows up in small but telling details. For instance, patients undergoing procedures at APEX’s ambulatory surgery center in Lenoir City—an all‑vascular, state‑of‑the‑art facility and the only specialized vascular center in the region, and the first in the state of Tennessee—are greeted by a team that does nothing but vascular cases, all day, every day.
“These are people we’ve worked with for a long time, and they treat the patients with a lot of compassion,” Dr. Pollock notes. “We call and check on them after, we call and check on them before. A lot of compassionate care goes into each patient’s experience.” Even something as simple as a meal becomes part of the care philosophy. Many patients arrive having fasted since the night before, anxious and hungry, so providing them with something to eat seemed to make perfect sense. “Every patient, before they leave, receives a box lunch. Do they appreciate the lunch? Yes. But, they appreciate the thought, and the care, much more. It’s a little thing, but it’s little things that can bring a patient comfort.”
Advanced Technology, Rapid Access
Behind the inviting atmosphere at APEX Vascular is a highly technical, rapidly evolving practice. “We use all the newest cutting‑edge techniques to treat peripheral vascular disease,” Dr. Pollock says. “When I started in 2002, a lot of what we did was open surgeries—long, three‑ or four‑hour operations, complex operations, high‑risk operations,” Dr. Pollock recalls. “Now 90% of what we do is without surgery.“
The procedures performed at APEX Vascular are all minimally invasive, and designed to diagnose and treat complex vascular conditions with greater precision, safety, and efficiency than traditional surgical approaches. For instance, by using advanced imaging technologies such as intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), fluoroscopy, and contrast-enhanced angiography, APEX Vascular physicians are able to visualize blood vessels in real time and perform targeted interventions with exceptional accuracy. Other procedures include endovascular treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD), angioplasty and stenting to restore blood flow in narrowed or blocked arteries, and the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
“This is what I love about what we do,” Dr. Pollock reflects. “It’s always changing, and so very different from what we were doing 25 years ago. For patients faced with non‑healing wounds, leg pain, or a possible amputation, the expertise and care we offer can be the difference between losing a limb and keeping it.”
APEX Vascular
460 Medical Park Dr #104
Lenoir City, TN 37772
865-562-3232
knoxvascular.com
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