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Vascular surgeons--do they make a difference in peripheral vascular disease?
1Department of Surgery, Carilon Medical Center, Roanoke, Virginia, USA.
Surgery
|February 15, 2001
Summary
The rise of specialized vascular surgeons improved patient outcomes and shifted the types of vascular procedures performed. This specialization led to better results, including lower mortality and shorter hospital stays.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Surgical Specialties
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Community hospitals perform aortic and peripheral vascular surgery.
- The impact of surgeons with specialized vascular training on surgical outcomes is not fully quantified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the effect of surgeons with added qualifications in general vascular surgery on vascular procedures.
- To compare outcomes between specialized vascular surgeons and general/thoracic surgeons.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study over 22 years (1975-1997) in a private hospital.
- Compared indications, procedures, and results of vascular surgeons vs. general/thoracic surgeons.
- Analyzed changes in procedure volume and types between two distinct periods.
Main Results:
- Vascular surgery volume increased significantly from Period I to Period II.
- Shift towards autogenous lower extremity bypasses and increased distal reconstructions.
- Vascular surgeons treated older patients, with decreased mortality, shorter hospital stays, and more distal bypasses.
Conclusions:
- The development of vascular surgery as a distinct specialty positively impacted surgical procedures and outcomes.
- Specialization in vascular surgery demonstrated improved results compared to general and thoracic surgeons.