Vascular Surgery
Who are Vascular surgeons?
What is a vascular disease?
Vascular disease can lead to coronary heart disease and heart attack, it may also cause stroke by affecting the arteries supplying blood to the brain.
What are the risk factors for vascular disease?
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Being overweight
- Stress
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Unhealthy diet
- Lack of exercise
- Family history of vascular disease, angina, heart attacks or
stroke
What are the common vascular conditions?
- Ischaemia (PAD-Peripheral arterial disease) is a condition associated with restricted blood supply to tissues caused due to blockage of arteries. Ischaemia not only causes a shortage of oxygen which is needed for cellular metabolism, but it also leads to reduced availability of nutrients and inadequate removal of metabolic wastes from the affected area. Ischaemia in limbs can cause pain while walking (Claudication); blackish discoloration of toes/distal part of the foot/ hand (Gangrene) and ulcers that are resistant to healing.
- Varicose veins (dilated veins) are abnormally enlarged veins that are usually blue, purple, or skin-colored. They appear dilated and twisted and may seem as raised above the surface of the skin. They commonly affect adults with an increased prevalence in women. Various risk factors include advanced age, prolonged sitting/standing, obesity, pregnancy, hormone therapy (HT), birth control pills, injury, prior vein surgery, a history of blood clots, and family history. They could be asymptomatic or cause vague symptoms such as discomfort, ache, swelling or can present with skin changes around the ankles and frank non-healing ulcers. They result from leaky valves in the veins which usually should maintain unidirectional flow towards the heart.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is yet another venous condition often missed. This could result from the stasis of blood, obstruction to flow by narrowing or tendency of clotting. If not diagnosed and treated, there is a risk of clot going up the bloodstream and lodging in lung arteries (Pulmonary embolism) causing cardiac failure.
What is different at RxDx?
RxDx is committed to providing consultations for vascular conditions, ranging from minor to life-threatening problems. To support the consultations there are diagnostic facilities available to diagnose vascular diseases, which helps the vascular surgeon to plan the right course of action for the patient.: