There’s the part of the case that gets documented… And then there’s the part you only learn from being in the room. In this clip, Dr. Jaafer Golzar shares one of the little details that makes deployment smoother, and why the proximal edge might be the spot you’re not paying enough attention to. Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #72.
Some decisions don’t need a second opinion. In this clip, Dr. Lucas Ferrer lays out the kind of case that makes you stop and think... no vein, multiple stents, relines, and why new tools are starting to shift what’s possible when bypass isn’t on the table. It’s the kind of moment that happens off-mic all the time. We just happened to hit record. Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #72.
There’s a reason the peroneal gets so much attention in these cases. When you’re rebuilding flow from almost nothing, the details aren’t extra, they’re the difference. In this clip, Dr. Jaafer Golzar walks through the thinking behind runoff, sizing, and why every decision matters when the goal is saving a limb. Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #72.
You used to have to travel for the best clinical education.Now? It can be YouTube and a cup of coffee. In this week’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Jaafer Golzar, interventional cardiologist, endovascular specialist, and Director of Limb Salvage at Advocate Trinity Hospital, to talk about the shift he’s seeing up close. From how younger physicians are actually learning today, to the tools that are helping save limbs in cases where nothing used to work. This episode is a look at what’s really changing on the ground, and what that means for the people doing the work. Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #72.
Dr. Jaafer Golzar is an interventional cardiologist, endovascular specialist, and Director of Limb Salvage & Endovascular Intervention at Advocate Trinity Hospital. He’s seen more than his share of “no-option” cases, the patients everyone else gave up on. In this episode, he walks us through how deep vein arterialization with the LimFlow system is changing that. From patients headed for amputation to limbs now being saved without open surgery, Dr. Golzar explains why this procedure is forcing the field to re-evaluate what’s truly possible. We also talk about what slows adoption inside hospitals, why some physicians hesitate even when the outcomes are clear, and what he hopes the next generation of operators learns faster than he did. 🎧 If you’ve ever questioned whether the way we’ve always done it is still the best way, this conversation is for you. 00:00 Meet Dr. Jaafer Golzar 04:02 The CLI patients nobody wanted to touch 08:30 How LimFlow works and what it’s changing 14:18 Why some surgeons still hesitate 18:50 When bypass isn’t the answer... and why 22:41 What happens when you restore flow from the bottom 28:10 What adoption looks like inside a hospital 35:00 The hard part: challenging culture, not just technique 39:16 What keeps some doctors stuck in the old approach 43:45 The tension between clinical proof and institutional fear 49:20 What Dr. Golzar hopes younger physicians do differently 💡 Who Should Listen? This episode is for physicians, vascular surgeons, interventional cardiologists, and anyone treating CLI. It’s especially for teams managing “no-option” patients or pushing for more patient-centered solutions. It’s also for innovators, educators, and clinical leaders who understand that moving a field forward means changing more than just the tools. About Dr. Jaafer Golzar Dr. Jaafer Golzar is an interventional cardiologist and endovascular specialist with Advocate Medical Group. He is Director of Limb Salvage & Endovascular Intervention at Advocate Trinity Hospital and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His expertise includes arterial and venous endovascular interventions and limb salvage. He has participated in numerous clinical trials, authored peer-reviewed publications, and presented his work globally. In 2014, he received the Pioneers in Performance – North America Award. He is a Fellow of the Society for Coronary Angiography and Interventions and of the American College of Cardiology. Connect with Dr. Jaafer Golzar 💼 LinkedIn: Jaafer Golzar MD FACC FSCAI 🌐 Advocate Medical Group: advocatehealth.com Follow Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: @LifeofFlowPodcast 👍 Facebook: Life of Flow Podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Life of Flow Podcast 🐦 X: @VascularPodcast 🔔 If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it. And don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review to help us keep these stories flowing.
Some surgeons marry fellow physicians, while others choose someone completely outside the world of medicine. Both dynamics can work (and both can fall apart...) As James Sexton puts it, the traits that attract us at the beginning are often the same ones we struggle with down the line. Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #70.
Not all growth looks like scaling. Sometimes it looks like restraint. Before founding ICHOR Vascular, Tim Blair had years of experience in leadership, but it wasn’t until he stepped into entrepreneurship that he realized how much he still had to learn. How to stay calm under pressure, how to move through systems without blowing them up, and most importantly, how to be effective without being explosive. Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #71.
What if the most important line in your company… was in your bylaws? When Tim Blair started ICHOR Vascular, he made one thing clear from day one, and he built it around a rule most founders wouldn’t dare write down: No as*holes allowed. And it’s saved his company more than once. In this week’s episode, Tim breaks down what culture actually means at the startup stage, how this rule shows up in million-dollar decisions, and why founders who ignore “fit” often pay the price later. Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #71.
Timothy Blair has spent more than 30 years inside some of the most influential companies in MedTech. But when he was offered a multimillion-dollar deal that could have accelerated everything, he walked away. In this episode, Tim shares why he turned down funding that most founders would have taken. He explains how early-stage deals can quietly dismantle a company’s future and what it takes to grow without losing control. From managing investor pressure to building a high-performance team culture, this is a real look at leadership inside a startup committed to doing things differently. We also talk about why so many startups burn through capital too quickly, how to avoid hiring the wrong people, and what founders often overlook when the stakes get high. 🎧 Founders, operators, and investors will find plenty to take away from this conversation. 00:00 Meet Tim Blair 03:10 The funding offer that could have changed everything 07:42 What startups get wrong about early growth 11:05 Managing pressure from investors and boards 16:30 How VC capital can put a company at risk 21:55 Building a team with a strict culture fit 26:12 Why he only hires people with hunger and resilience 30:40 What investors actually look for in a founding team 34:50 How founders lose control of their own company 38:45 Surviving the early months without a paycheck 45:00 Capital discipline and protecting your original investors 51:10 What’s next for ICHOR Vascular 💡 Who Should Listen This episode is for startup founders, operators, and healthcare entrepreneurs thinking critically about how they raise money, grow a team, and build something that lasts. It is especially relevant for those working in MedTech or highly regulated sectors, and for anyone questioning the conventional path to startup growth. About Tim Blair Tim Blair is the CEO and Co-Founder of ICHOR Vascular Inc., a company developing novel approaches to thrombectomy in the peripheral vascular system. He has more than 33 years of experience in the medical device industry, with leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, executive management, clinical and regulatory strategy, and fundraising. His background includes positions at Smiths Medical, AngioDynamics, and NAMSA, where he helped scale one of the world’s largest medical device testing and evaluation firms. He has also led and supported M&A targeting, private equity and venture capital due diligence, and serves as an advisor to several emerging startups in the cardiovascular space. Connect with Tim 💼 LinkedIn: Timothy Scott Blair 🌐 ICHOR Vascular Inc: https://ichorvascular.com/ Follow Life of Flow 📲 Instagram: @LifeofFlowPodcast 👍 Facebook: Life of Flow Podcast 💼 LinkedIn: Life of Flow Podcast 🐦 X: @VascularPodcast If this episode gave you a new perspective, send it to someone building something of their own. Follow the show for more conversations like this.
You’d think the skill that makes someone a great surgeon would also make them great at marriage. And in some ways, it does. But as James Sexton explains, being able to delay gratification isn’t always enough when your job demands everything. All the long hours, emotional exhaustion, and constant pressure from work follow you home (and sometimes, they slowly chip away at the relationship you were building...) Go to the Life of Flow podcast channel and watch the full episode #70.