The variety of endovascular devices and techniques to treat occlusive disease has exploded over the past 10 years and critical evaluation of the reported results may be problematic. The Society for Vascular Surgery has released new reporting standards focused on endovascular treatment of chronic lower extremity peripheral artery disease. Recommended reporting standards for lower extremity ischemia were last published by the SVS in 1997.

Call him profoundly influential – but also call him ‘Jack’

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner gets called a lot of things by his many nominators: quadruple hitter, visionary, mentor, revolutionary, unsurpassed, profoundly effective.

But one thing is mentioned by all. “Everybody,” they say, “calls him Jack.” That may be because Dr. Jack Cronenwett is not just a legend among SVS members, but he is also unassuming.

The unique relationship that vascular surgeons enjoy with their patients has enabled our specialty to have a special claim on the way we care for patients. Outgoing SVS President Bruce Perler spoke during the 2016 Vascular Annual Meeting near Washington, D.C. on June 10.

‘CAN YOU SAVE MY LEG?’RESEARCHERS NOW HAVE A BETTER ANSWER FOR PATIENTS

CHICAGO, Illinois, June 1, 2016 -- Some patients who are in danger of losing an arm or leg due to  hardening of the arteries have been getting more hopeful news from vascular surgeons at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston.

A groundbreaking trial needs more patients enrolled – quickly – and the SVS is asking for your help.

CHICAGO, Illinois - Conventional wisdom might suppose that everyone would avoid surgery if possible.

But a research team in Houston has found that veterans who could choose between regular exercise or a surgical procedure to improve their leg pain were more likely to choose surgery if they had lower socioeconomic status, if they smoked or if they knew someone who had the same procedure.

CHICAGO, Illinois, May 6, 2016 –The Society for Vascular Surgery Board of Directors is pleased to announce Kenneth M. Slaw, Ph.D., as the society’s next executive director, replacing Rebecca Maron, CAE, who will retire May 30, 2016.  

For the past 28 years Slaw has held key senior staff posts at the American Academy of Pediatrics, an organization of 64,000 pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists.  Most recently he has served as the AAP’s director of membership and director of strategic planning.  

Society for Vascular Surgery Honors Nurses

Society for Vascular Surgery members know that caring for vascular surgery patients is truly a team effort, and achieving the best outcomes for our patients would not be possible without the devoted excellence of our outstanding nurses. Nurses of every specialty, and particularly those who are vascular surgery nurses, ensure that we achieve optimal outcomes for our patients in the operating room, on the hospital units, and in the office through their knowledge and professionalism.

The Society for Vascular Surgery and the SVS Foundation present a number of awards during the Vascular Annual Meeting. The achievements and special efforts of many also receive special recognition. 

NIH GRANT and SVS award support RESEARCH ON GUT MICROBES’ EFFECT ON restenosis

Chicago, Illinois– Could microbes in the gut impact human arteries? Surprising early research suggests they might play a role.

Re-narrowing of the arteries is the most common problem for patients who have had open or endovascular surgery. Also called restenosis, it impacts between 20 and 50 percent of patients, depending on the artery treated, even if the surgery is initially successful.