Diabetes can put patients at risk for vascular disease and limb loss

INSULIN-DEPENDENT PATIENTS MAY HAVE WORSE VASCULAR SURGICAL OUTCOMES

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have found that obese patients were more likely to have longer procedures and to lose more blood than those who were not obese, and obese patients were more likely to have post-operative problems such as renal failure or wound infections.

Recent advances in statins and other medications have led some researchers to suggest that surgical treatments for carotid stenosis should be limited to symptomatic patients – primarily those who have already had a stroke or TIA. However, a new study published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery questions whether medical therapy is a sufficient stroke-reduction strategy. In the study, only 35 percent of stroke patients were receiving both statin and antiplatelet agents prior to their event, suggesting that asymptomatic carotid disease is unrecognized in many individuals, noted lead researcher Dr. W. Darrin Clouse of Massachusetts General Hospital. “And the first manifestation of their disease,” he wrote, “could be the occurrence of a stroke.”

Society for Vascular Surgery journal publishes quick, new test to assess the odds

SVS: Compression may promote, but not cause, iliac DVT LEFT ILIAC VEIN COMPRESSION IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH INFRAINGUINAL DVT BUT IS ASSOCIATED WITH ILIAC VEIN INVOLVEMENT. Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders, November 2018.

PREOPERATIVE RISK SCORE TO PREDICT MORTALITY AFTER REPAIR OF RUPTURED ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSMS, Journal of Vascular Surgery, October 2018.

Low-income vascular patients need understanding from medical professionals

TWENTY-FOUR MONTH RESULTS FROM A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF CYANOACRYLATE CLOSURE VERSUS RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF INCOMPETENT GREAT SAPHENOUS VEINS. Journal of Vascular Surgery Venous and Lymphatic Disorders. September 2018

More evidence that lower extremity bypass may be a poor choice for claudicants who smoke

ACTIVE SMOKING IN CLAUDICANTS UNDERGOING LOWER EXTREMITY BYPASS PREDICTS DECREASED GRAFT PATENCY AND WORSE OVERALL SURVIVAL. Journal of Vascular Surgery, September 2018.

STATIN THERAPY IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER LONG-TERM BUT NOT PERIOPERATIVE SURVIVAL AFTER ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM REPAIR. August, 2018. Journal of Vascular Surgery.