Vascular Surgery

Vascular Surgery is the branch of medicine that provides surgical and minimally invasive treatment for conditions affecting the blood vessels outside the heart, including the arteries and veins in the legs, abdomen, and neck. It covers conditions such as peripheral artery disease, varicose veins, aneurysms, and carotid artery narrowing.

This branch differs from Cardiovascular Surgery mainly in which blood vessels are involved: Cardiovascular Surgery focuses on the heart and the vessels directly attached to it, while Vascular Surgery treats the wider network of arteries and veins throughout the rest of the body. The two branches coordinate closely when a vascular condition also involves the vessels near the heart.

Patients are commonly referred to this branch for leg pain during walking, visible varicose veins, non-healing wounds on the legs or feet, or an aneurysm found incidentally on imaging. Many vascular conditions can be treated with minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures rather than open surgery, which generally allows for a shorter recovery.