Professor Mark O'Donnell, a consultant vascular surgeon based in Belfast, has announced an expansion of his private practice capacity, enabling him to perform more than 850 minimally invasive vascular procedures each year across his Northern Ireland facilities. This development reflects sustained patient demand for consultant-led vascular care in the region and marks a notable point in the growth of specialist private surgery services in Belfast.
With over 20 years of specialist vascular expertise, Professor O'Donnell offers patients in Northern Ireland direct access to a consultant surgeon rather than a delegated clinical team. His work as a vascular surgeon in Belfast focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of venous conditions, with a particular emphasis on varicose veins—a condition affecting a significant proportion of the adult population that, if left untreated, can progress to chronic pain, skin changes, and venous ulceration.
Operating from private facilities in Belfast, the practice is structured to deliver streamlined, consultant-directed care. Patients are assessed, treated, and followed up by the same specialist throughout their care pathway, a model that differs from many larger institutional settings where clinical responsibility is distributed across multiple practitioners.
The practice offers a range of procedures matched to the nature and severity of each patient's venous condition. Radiofrequency ablation is used to close the affected vein using heat delivered through a small catheter, avoiding the need for general anaesthesia in most cases. Foam sclerotherapy provides an injectable option suited to smaller varicosities, while open surgery remains available for complex presentations where less invasive approaches may not be clinically appropriate.
This structured approach to varicose veins treatment in Northern Ireland means patients across a range of venous disease severity can access a clinically suitable intervention under the care of a single experienced consultant. Having multiple treatment options within one practice reduces the likelihood of patients requiring referral elsewhere when their condition falls outside a narrower treatment scope.
The announcement comes as patients across Northern Ireland increasingly pursue private pathways for vascular assessment, particularly where NHS waiting times for elective procedures extend over many months or longer. Professor O'Donnell's Belfast-based practice offers direct access to consultant assessment without requiring a GP referral, allowing individuals experiencing leg heaviness, visible varicosities, or related symptoms to begin the diagnostic process without delay.
With more than 850 procedures performed each year, the practice operates at a volume that reflects both the breadth of conditions managed and the procedural consistency associated with a high-throughput specialist setting. That level of activity supports the surgical familiarity that experienced vascular teams associate with dependable clinical outcomes.
“Patients across Northern Ireland deserve timely access to experienced vascular care without having to travel to major centres elsewhere in the UK,” said Professor Mark O'Donnell. “Our focus is on making sure every patient is seen by a consultant at every stage, from the first assessment through to follow-up, and that the most appropriate procedure is selected based on their individual anatomy and clinical picture.”
Professor O'Donnell's practice operates from private facilities in Belfast, with more information available at Mark O'Donnell Vascular Surgery. This expansion underscores the growing demand for consultant-led, minimally invasive vascular care in Northern Ireland, offering patients timely access to specialist treatment without the need for extensive travel.
