About ACV

Rick Bernstein, M.D., FACS is a Cardiovascular Surgeon who has been practicing in Las Vegas for the past 20 years. He has now devoted his career to treating patients whose legs are in danger because of blockages and non-healing wounds which could lead to amputation and death.

A native of Chicago, he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois, and then advanced degrees at Howard University in Washington, D.C. From there, he studied cardiovascular and thoracic surgery at the University of Alberta in Canada, then a year of pediatric vascular surgery in England, followed by an endovascular fellowship at Cleveland Clinic.

After meeting the founders of ACV, Bernstein said he decided to stop performing heart surgery and instead “concentrate on preventing amputations and saving people’s legs.” He joined the practice in November 2019.

Prior to that, Bernstein had been practicing in Las Vegas, where his grown son Jordan is a professional musician. Daughter Shane is a speech and language pathologist in New York. Wife Valerie works as a fitness instructor.

Bernstein was drawn to ACV because of its values and mission, and “also because of the world-class expertise that is available there,” he says. “Doctors Mustapha and Saab are really, in my opinion, the best in the world at what they do, and working with them and learning from them has been one of my great pleasures and an amazing medical experience.”

In his spare time, Bernstein tries to hit the gym most days, and he’s looking forward to testing area golf courses on Sunday mornings come more fitting weather.

He calls it “an honor to be with ACV,” and says he looks forward to “making it the duty and joy of the remainder of my career to prevent amputations and save people’s lives.”

George Pliagas, M.D. FACS FRCSC is a board-certified general vascular surgeon. His vascular interests include hybrid techniques to facilitate peripheral revascularizations and endovascular treatment strategies for critical limb ischemia and pedal access. His three decades of expertise extends across the field of endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair to peripheral endovascular experience which stems back to 1992 . His first endovascular aneurysm repair was performed in 1999.
Dr. Pliagas earned his medical degree at University of Patras, Greece, and completed his general surgery and vascular surgery training at University of Western Ontario, Canada. In 1989 he completed an additional year of vascular training at U.W.O.
Throughout his career Dr. Pliagas, has trained fellow colleagues and industry partners and served as course director, faculty member for many courses in the United States and Europe. He has served as principal investigator for clinical trials and has authored publications. In addition, he has presented his work at national and international symposia including VIVA, and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care where he helps organize the peripheral vascular program, AMP , the European Endovascular & Interventional Cardiology Conference and a course co-director for the 2nd Interventional Cardiology Skills Enhancement.
His ongoing commitment and passion for limb salvage and his ongoing interest in the development of endovascular and hybrid techniques to battle critical limb threatened ischemia has led Dr. Pliagas to the formation of a critical limb ischemia center in Las Vegas Nevada.

When I was in school, whenever I was asked what I would like to become when I grew up, I said, “I would like to become a priest.” I wanted to serve, to help and to travel. My dream was to become a world traveler and to meet people with different backgrounds and experiences.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in nursing at University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center in Manila, Philippines. My first year out of nursing school was a reality check. I started my career as a nurse at the Philippine Heart Center caring for patients post-open and -closed heart surgery. The learning curve was very steep, like Mount Everest. I was nervous and shaky (I wished it was hypoglycemia so I could hide and they would leave me alone). Patients asked questions that I didn’t know the answers to. I was asked by health care providers to perform routine exams that I had not done before. In short: I was challenged. The first two years of nursing were truly a very steep climb. However, I was motivated to reach the top. I stuck with it and accepted the challenge with pride and dedication.
After two years of difficult real-life experiences, I was ready to pursue my dream of becoming a world traveler. My inquisitiveness and adventurousness landed me in the Middle East during the Gulf War. The initial experience was truly daunting, yet amazing, breathtaking and exciting. As a young man, I felt both invisible and energetic. I became immersed in the culture of the Middle East and was fascinated with the ways medicine, nursing and patient care were done there.
Since then, my career has given me additional opportunities to travel, to acquire new friends from all over the world and to visit countries around the globe. I’ve embraced all of these differences and learned from them.
When I moved to the U.S., I worked at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland, Oregon and worked with Dr. Albert Starr who invented the Starr-Edward heart valve. I wanted more experience, so I joined the Mayo Clinic’s the intensive care unit, caring for patients with variety of diagnoses, including transplant.
After much traveling and fun, I ended up going back to school and finished my master’s degree in nursing, doctor in nursing practice and post-master family nursing practice. I became a professor of nursing and applied my experience as a nurse to the classroom setting, teaching students how to provide patient care. Teaching students, hospital staff and family members was truly an amazing experience.
After teaching for 15 years, I decided to become a provider at ACV Centers. I am thankful I have been given the opportunity to go back to my passion of providing patient care. Under the guidance of Dr. Bernstein and Dr. Pliagas, I have been able to develop and gain confidence in the practice setting. Both doctors are a great role models in providing the best care possible. The staff at ACV LV are top-notch and passionate about saving lives.
All of these years of experience have helped me change for the better, grow as person, constantly develop skills, sharpen my mind and become a person who has the courage to go out there every day and provide the best care I can for patients and family members. Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.