Specialty of Vascular Surgery Defined

Vascular surgery encompasses the diagnosis and comprehensive, longitudinal management of disorders of the arterial, venous, and lymphatic systems, exclusive of the intracranial and coronary arteries. Diplomates in vascular surgery should have significant experience with all aspects of treating patients with all types of vascular disease, including diagnosis, medical treatment, and reconstructive vascular surgical and endovascular techniques. In addition, diplomates in vascular surgery should possess the advanced knowledge and skills to provide comprehensive care to patients with vascular disease; understand the needs of these patients; teach this information to others; provide leadership within their organizations; conduct or participate in research in vascular disorders; and demonstrate self-assessment of their outcomes.

The vascular surgeon must have advanced knowledge and experience with the management of vascular problems including:

1. All elements of clinical evaluation, including non-invasive testing such as plethysmography, duplex ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, CT scans, angiography, and other diagnostic tests utilized in the diagnosis of vascular disease.
2. Comprehensive management of vascular disease to include screening and surveillance, medical management, drug therapy, risk factor management, and wound management including amputations, as well as other adjunctive procedures.
3. Indications and techniques relating to the open and endovascular treatment of vascular disorders, to include the entire spectrum of interventions used to treat vascular disorders, including such disorders as occlusive, aneurysmal, and inflammatory disease, trauma, and neurovascular compressive syndromes involving the arteries and veins of the body (excluding the intracranial and coronary arteries). These include the aorta and its branches, as well as the arteries of the neck, pelvis and upper and lower extremities, and the venous system.
4. The critical care of the vascular surgery patient.

Updated: July 2015