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Vascular surgery is one of the medical specialties whose area of action includes invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures in the area of lymphatic and blood vessels. However, vascular surgery also deals with the diagnosis and diagnosis of ailments related to these organs of the body. What diseases and tests does vascular surgery cover?
Vascular surgery – what does it do?
The rapidly developing field of medicine, which is vascular surgery, is used by an increasing number of patients. It is related to the more and more frequently observed phenomenon of a sedentary lifestyle, inadequate nutrition and numerous stressful stimuli. In such conditions, the body more easily develops various diseases related to the circulatory and lymphatic systems. This is where vascular surgery comes in handy. Thanks to the development of this specialty, it is possible to diagnose many vascular ailments on the basis of a medical history and physical examination.
Vascular surgery deals with the diagnosis and treatment of a number of diseases, such as: pathological narrowing of the arteries and veins, thrombosis and deep vein insufficiency, chronic venous insufficiency (varicose veins of the lower extremities), venous ulcers, pulmonary embolism, and atherosclerosis, which includes plaque build-up atherosclerosis in the walls of the blood vessels of the carotid arteries or lower limbs. In addition to these, vascular surgery also deals with the treatment of neoplasms developing within the circulatory or lymphatic system, thrombo-obliterative vasculitis known as Buerger’s disease, diabetic foot syndrome, which is one of the complications of usually untreated disease, and other ailments including inflammation in the circulatory system .
Therefore, it is worth visiting a vascular surgeon if there are clearly visible dilated blood vessels in the lower limbs, especially when they are numerous and accompanied by a tingling sensation. Also, when a person is struggling with chronic swelling in the ankle area, often felt cramps and a feeling of the so-called the heaviness of the legs. The listed symptoms are among the first that are noticeable in patients struggling with developing cardiovascular failure.
See also: Skin changes due to vascular disorders
Vascular surgery – what tests does it include?
Tests performed in a vascular surgeon’s office usually include Doppler ultrasound, which consists in a detailed analysis of blood flow in the walls of blood vessels – both veins and arteries. The method used allows to determine whether a given patient has, for example, atherosclerotic changes in the carotid arteries supplying the brain with blood, narrowing of the blood vessels of the lower extremities, valvular insufficiency of the lower extremities, inflammation involving the circulatory system.
Vascular surgery uses color Doppler ultrasound to better visualize blood flow in the vessels. This test is particularly useful in the diagnosis of neoplastic tumors and in determining the blood flow rate, which makes it possible to accurately determine the place of a narrowed blood or lymph vessel. Another test that is used in vascular surgery is angioscopy. It is an invasive technique that allows you to accurately visualize the vessels by inserting an endoscope equipped with a camera inside them. The test allows to determine the narrowing of the vessels, the presence of blood clots or atherosclerotic plaque.
Venography allows for the diagnosis of ailments related to the veins, in which contrast is used to emphasize the changes. Venography can also be used as part of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Vascular surgery also uses arteriographic examination to identify lesions within the arterial vessels. A contrast agent is also administered during the examination. When it is necessary to diagnose diseases of the lymphatic system, vascular surgery sometimes uses lymphangiography.
Vascular surgery – methods of treatment
The most common treatment method in vascular surgery is sclerotherapy. It consists in injecting dilated blood vessels in chronic venous insufficiency. Other methods of treatment are: atherectomy, which allows the removal of excess atherosclerotic plaques, implantation of a stent or stent graft, or the so-called percutaneous balloon angioplasty. It is worth adding that a vascular surgeon is a specialist who qualifies a person with a diabetic foot for amputation of a damaged limb.