A letter to members from SVS President Dr. Bruce A. Perler and SVS PAC Steering Committee Chair Dr. Randall DeMartino:

We want to sincerely thank the 248 SVS members who contributed to the Political Action Committee (PAC) in 2015, which helped us score three major victories on Capitol Hill:

A recent review of patients who had undergone carotid, lower extremity bypass, or abdominal aortic aneurysm surgeries found that patients who received both statins and antiplatelet medications were far more likely to be alive five years later. Patients placed on both an antiplatelet agent and cholesterol medication had an adjusted 40 percent reduced risk of death at five years compared to those who received neither drug. Being on either one of these medications was also important, and was associated with an adjusted 30 percent reduced risk of death compared to those on neither medication. When considered differently, an extra 14 of every 100 patients were alive at five years if on both medications.

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 31, 2016 - For some vascular surgery patients, starting an antiplatelet and a cholesterol medication after surgery can significantly extend their lives, even if they don’t have high cholesterol.

Executive search firm conducting national search for new director

CHICAGO, Illinois - Society for Vascular Surgery Executive Director Rebecca Maron has announced her retirement, effective the end of May. She has served in that position for 13 years.

SVS President Bruce A. Perler noted that Maron will be sorely missed for her leadership skills, judgment and many friendships among the membership.

All too often patients say they are "blindsided" by unexpected outcomes of surgery. SVS member Dr. Margaret "Gretchen" Schwarze has won a prestigious PCORI grant to study ways to help patients understand what major surgery will mean to them.

A three-year study, which gives patients a better way to talk to their surgeon, has earned a $2.1 million grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Initiative (PCORI).

A recent pilot study funded by a grant from the Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation has found that patients succeed in quitting smoking before surgery if they are offered the right kind of assistance.

The Society for Vascular Surgery, the American Podiatric Medical Association and the Society for Vascular Medicine collaboratively have published their first-ever set of clinical practice guidelines for treating the diabetic foot, based on a meta-analysis of the available literature. The guidelines, “The Management of the Diabetic Foot,” were developed after three years of study and were published online in late January and in print in the February 2016 edition of Journal for Vascular Surgery.

Vascular disease is among the leading causes of death in the United States, yet is generally asymptomatic until a catastrophic event occurs, such as a stroke or aneurysm rupture. Although preventive screening is available, millions of Americans at risk for stroke or death from vascular disorders remain unaware of their risk.

Background

The broken medical liability system remains one of the most difficult issues for physicians. It places a communications barrier between physicians and their patients. It forces physicians to practice defensive medicine. Lawsuits put physicians at emotional, reputational and financial risk and they drain resources out of an already financially strapped national health care system, which could be used for medical research or expanded access to care for patients.

The numbers are staggering: