Vascular & Endovascular Surgery
Vascular & Endovascular Surgery
Circulation of blood through the body is essential
to life. The blood vessels that distribute blood
throughout the body are a branching set of tubes
(arteries and veins) called the vascular system.
Arteries deliver fresh, red, oxygenated blood
to all organs and tissues. Veins return the used
"blue" blood to
the heart and lungs to absorb more oxygen and begin the process
anew. Vascular diseases cause damage to
the arteries and veins, impairing their ability to
circulate the blood. The resulting lack of
oxygen (ischemia) (iss-kee'-me-a) causes damage
to the organs and tissues supplied by the diseased
vessels. Cardiovascular disease is that
which affects the vessels of the heart, and Peripheral
Vascular Disease (PVD) is that affecting blood
vessels elsewhere in the body. PVD can affect
any vessel, but most commonly involves the aorta (the body's main artery), the
arteries to the brain (carotid), the arteries to the
kidneys (renal), and the blood vessels in the legs.
The best-known vascular disease is atherosclerosis,
or hardening of the arteries, a very common condition in the
Western world, and one responsible for a great deal of death and
disability.
Vascular and endovascular surgery is the specialty that uses
a combination of medical, traditional surgical, and endovascular
(minimally invasive) procedures to treat diseases of the
arteries and veins.
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