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Britt Tonnessen, MD

Associate Professor of Surgery (Vascular)
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Additional Titles

Associate Program Director, Vascular Residency, Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy

Associate Professor, Surgery

About

Titles

Associate Professor of Surgery (Vascular)

Associate Program Director, Vascular Residency, Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy; Associate Professor, Surgery

Biography

Dr. Tonnessen graduated from Brown University with honors in Neuroscience in 1994. She subsequently received her medical degree at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She completed a residency in general surgery and fellowship in vascular surgery at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, and has been a practicing vascular surgeon since 2006. Dr. Tonnessen is board certified in general and vascular surgery, and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Tonnessen has expertise in both open surgery and minimally invasive "endovascular" procedures for treating vascular disease. Dr. Tonnessen is also the co-author of the 5th and 6th editions of The Handbook of Patient Care Vascular Diseases, a popular "pocket" book for students and residents.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Fellow
Ochsner Clinic (2006)
Resident
Ochsner Clinic (2004)
MD
Mayo Clinic (1999)
BSc (Hon)
Brown University, Neuroscience (1994)

Research

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Britt Tonnessen's published research.

Publications

2024

Clinical Trials

Current Trials

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

  • honor

    Top Doctor 2020

Clinical Care

Overview

Britt H. Tonnessen, MD, FACS is a vascular surgeon who treats patients with a variety of conditions that affect the arteries and veins, including carotid disease, peripheral vascular disease, venous disease, and thoracic outlet syndrome. As a vascular expert, she cares for older patients with hardening of the arteries, as well as younger patients who may develop different types of problems, such as varicose veins or chronic wounds on the legs.

Dr. Tonnessen says the decision to become a doctor came naturally to her. “I wanted to help people. It's as simple as that.” She was inspired by excellent mentorship and early exposure to vascular surgery as a medical student at the Mayo Clinic in the 1990s.

She ultimately became a vascular surgeon for three reasons. “One, you have continuity of patient care over time—these are patients you follow for many years. Two, the science behind the work I do is logical and interesting. Three, minimally invasive “endovascular” techniques have really revolutionized the field," she says. "When I was an intern, all of the patients had large incisions on their abdomens. Traditional surgery is still appropriate for some, but now we can do many procedures through a small puncture in the groin or even in the foot.”

Vascular surgery can be demanding, but there are many rewards, Dr. Tonnessen says. “It's so gratifying for me to get a cold foot back to a warm foot (because circulation has improved), to relieve pain for someone whose leg has been swollen for years, or to repair someone's potentially life-threatening aneurysm through a couple of small groin punctures," she says. "In medicine, we're never looking for a thank you, but the satisfaction from patients whose lives were transformed has made it all worthwhile.”

Clinical Specialties

Vascular & Endovascular Surgery

Fact Sheets

Board Certifications

  • Vascular Surgery

    Certification Organization
    AB of Surgery
    Original Certification Date
    2008
  • Surgery General

    Certification Organization
    AB of Surgery
    Original Certification Date
    2005

Yale Medicine News

Get In Touch

Contacts

Academic Office Number
Office Fax Number
Clinic Fax Number
Mailing Address

Vascular Surgery & Endovascular Therapy

330 Cedar Street, Boardman 204

New Haven, CT 06510

United States

Administrative Support

Locations

  • Patient Care Locations

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