Vascular Surgery includes treatment of all vessels outside the heart. It is dedicated to the care of patients with disorders of the circulatory system. Vascular surgeons generally treat conditions of the arteries and veins related to two broad disease categories known as atherosclerosis and thrombophlebitis.
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is the name of the process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque. Plaques can grow large enough to significantly reduce the blood's flow through an artery. But most of the damage occurs when they become fragile and rupture.
Plaques that rupture cause blood clots to form that can block blood flow or break off and travel to another part of the body. If either happens and blocks a blood vessel it causes damage to the whatever part of the body is starved of blood and oxygen, including the heart (heart attack), the brain (stroke), or the arms and legs (peripheral artery disease).
Peripheral artery disease or PAD is most commonly seen in the legs, but also can be present in the arteries that carry blood from your heart to your head, arms, kidneys and stomach. Nearly everyone who has PAD—even those who do not have leg symptoms—suffers from an inability to walk as fast, or as far, as they could before PAD.
If the blood flow in one of your limbs is completely or almost completely blocked, you may benefit from having a procedure or surgery in addition to medications and lifestyle changes. Procedures such as angioplasty and bypass graft surgery can improve the blood circulation to your legs and your ability to walk.
Thrombophlebitis
Thrombophlebitis occurs when a blood clot causes inflammation in one or more of your veins, typically in your legs. On rare occasions, thrombophlebitis (often shortened to "phlebitis") can affect veins in your arms or neck.
The affected vein may be near the surface of your skin, causing superficial thrombophlebitis, or deep within a muscle, causing deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A clot in a deep vein increases your risk of serious health problems, including a dislodged clot (embolism) traveling to your lungs and blocking a pulmonary artery (pulmonary embolism). Thrombophlebitis often is caused by prolonged inactivity. Certain types of cancer, the use of the hormone estrogen or simply an inherited tendency may place you at higher risk of thrombophlebitis.
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