VASCULAR SURGERY

Definition

Vascular surgery is the division of medicine specializing in treating the blood vessels of the body, with the exception of the vessels of the heart. Vascular surgeons may work to restore blood flow to an area of the body after trauma, disease or another issue damages blood vessels.

What do Vascular surgeons do?

The vascular surgeon is trained in the diagnosis and management of diseases affecting all parts of the vascular system except that of the heart and brain.

Common Vascular Conditions

Carotid stenosis is a narrowing or constriction of the inner surface of the carotid artery, usually caused by atherosclerosis

Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and tortuous. The term commonly refers to the veins on the leg, although varicose veins can occur elsewhere

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD), commonly referred to as peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD), refers to the obstruction of large arteries not within the coronary, aortic arch vasculature, or brain. PVD can result from atherosclerosis, inflammatoryprocesses leading to stenosis an embolism, or thrombusformation. It causes either acuteor chronicischemia(lack of blood supply).

Developments:

The specialty continues to be based on operative arterial and venous surgery but since the early 1990s has evolved greatly. There is now considerable emphasis on minimally invasive alternatives to surgery. This area of vascular surgery is called Endovascular Surgery, a term that some in the specialty append to their primary qualification as Vascular Surgeon. Endovascular and endovenous procedures can now form the bulk of a vascular surgeons practice.

The development of endovascular surgery has been accompanied by a gradual separation of vascular surgery from its origin in general surgery. Most vascular surgeons would now confine their practice to vascular surgery.