Smoking: Surgeons debate performing lower-extremity bypass in patients who are active smokers. A study published in September’s Journal of Vascular Surgery concludes that such patients have decreased longterm patency and overall survival, and that surgeons “should consider smoking an important risk factor.” See the article at vsweb.org/LEBSmoking; it is open-source through Oct. 31.

Changes Sought in 2019 Fee Schedule, Year 3 QPP Rules

The 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting featured nearly 1,800 attendees, just shy of the record; phenomenal science; a wide range of educational programming; and new session formats with overflow attendance.

Organizers consider the meeting a success and are evaluating attendee feedback to make sure next year’s meeting builds on past achievements, said Matthew Eagleton, chair of the SVS Program Committee, which oversees VAM. “We have received a lot of positive feedback,” he said.

An SVS dream of increasing awareness of and preventing vascular disease is taking root across the country.

Three projects, funded by the first SVS Foundation Community Awareness and Prevention Project Grants, will:

• Provide preventive care to those at risk for diabetic foot infections

• Educate high school students about vascular risk factors and disease so they, in turn, can educate family members

• Add vascular screening to a long-established health screening event in an area with one of the highest rates of diabetes in the country

In August, the U.S. House has taken a huge step forward in health and research funding, as Congress has not passed a Labor HHS funding bill without an omnibus since 2007.

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

CHICAGO, Illinois, September 2018 – New level I evidence reveals excellent mid-term results for a nonthermal, nontumescent (NTNT) technique to treat saphenous vein reflux for as long as two years after surgery.

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.

CHICAGO, Illinois, September 2018 – New research in the Journal of Vascular Surgery reports that even though smokers who undergo lower extremity bypass for claudication are healthier and around eight years younger than nonsmokers, their surgical outcomes are less successful.

Materials from the February webinar on the Quality Payment Program, including how surgeons can still avoid reimbursement penalties for 2017, are now available online.

The materials will also inform surgeons and their staff how to:

• Get started with 2018 reporting

• The increased requirements to avoid penalties and obtain bonus payments

• The MIPS (Merit-based Incentive Payment System) reporting requirements to maximize reimbursement based on their 2018 data.

It’s already April. In years past, that meant the SVS membership application process was closed for the year.

But for 2018, SVS has moved to a new system, with membership applications reviewed quarterly.

Yearly deadlines are March 1, June 1, Sept. 1 and Dec. 1 – four chances a year to become a member of the world’s premier vascular care organization. The first group of applicants were informed of their status early in April.

SVS Updates 2008 Guidelines

A cardiology colleague once invited Keith Calligaro, MD, to speak at a cardiology conference. As he was about to take the podium, the moderator asked the audience, “Can you believe that Dr. Calligaro has questioned whether cardiologists should be allowed to perform peripheral vascular procedures?”