Vascular surgery and phlebology

Introduction, diagnostics and treatments

On this page you can find out more about the vascular surgeon and the phlebologist and explore the services I offer.

What does the vascular surgeon do?

The vascular surgeon is specialized in the treatment of disorders of the vascular system. The vascular system is composed of all the arteries and veins of the body.

The vascular surgeon performs all arterial surgery, except for procedures within the vessels of the brain and heart.

Today the vascular surgeon mainly uses endovascular techniques and instruments, that is, he intervenes without opening the blood vessels. Generally, these techniques are performed under local anesthesia, without surgical incisions on the skin, and involve the use of thin catheters for the placement of stents (a "net" mounted on a so-called "balloon") to keep the arteries or veins open.

And the phlebologist? What does he do?

The phlebologist is the specialist who studies and treats the pathologies of the venous circulatory system.

The phlebologist mainly deals with the treatment of venous reflux and chronic venous insufficiency. These diseases affect about one in three people in the general population (one in two over fifty years of age). Also, he deals with chronic deep venous thrombosis and with the burdens of post-thrombotic syndrome.

Through examinations, treatments and interventions, the phlebologist helps to maintain in good health the venous system. This is more and more important, as life expectancy is lengthening. If it is true that venous reflux and varicose veins aren’t life threatening conditions, the worsening of venous conditions strongly penalizes the quality of life of all those affected.

Instrumental vascular diagnostics
(non-invasive)

This step is of paramount importance for the prevention of vascular diseases, from the most common varicose veins to cardiovascular diseases. An early diagnosis is the first step towards the treatment of both arterial and venous diseases.

The diagnosis of vascular conditions is performed through the following non-invasive tests:

  • Venous Duplex Ultrasound scanning and full venous mapping
  • Arterial duplex ultrasound of lower limbs
  • Carotid duplex ultrasound
  • Abdominal aorta duplex ultrasound
  • Venous abdominal duplex ultrasound
  • Venography, intravenous ultrasound (IVUS) [these are invasive procedures and are carried out in the operating theatre only]

Treatments

Today a variety of techniques are used to treat the manifestations of venous insufficiency and other vascular conditions, both at a functional and aesthetic level.

Starting from the result of the diagnostic examination we can define the most appropriate strategy for each case, in a tailored, individualized way. Not all varicose veins are the same, which is why different treatment levels can be considered, from drug therapy to surgery.

 

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