One of the main tasks of a vascular surgeon is to treat conditions that have the ability to affect the blood vessels found in every part of the body except that for your heart and brain.
What is a Vascular Surgeon and What Do They Do?
In medical terms, a vascular surgeon is defined as a medical practitioner that is responsible for diagnosing, treating, as well as managing a number of conditions in the human body. This includes the treatment of your veins and arteries, which are often referred to as your blood vessels.
Furthermore, these vascular surgeons or medical specialists are also capable of diagnosing, treating, and managing a wide array of health issues, from spider veins and varicose veins to a range of other life-threatening aneurysms.
Do note that vascular surgery always involves the use of medicine, the application of a number of surgical procedures as well as other minimally invasive procedures coupled with catheters, which are used to treat the blood vessels in the patient’s body. These surgical procedures typically range from the cardiac vessels, those near your heart, to medical issues like varicose veins in other parts of your body such as your legs.
Everyone should understand the importance that your arteries and veins play in keeping the body’s overall well-being. Both the veins and the arteries keep you alive. With that in mind, choosing a good vascular surgeon to treat these medical problems is vital.
What Are the Conditions Treated By Vascular Surgeons?
If you are still unsure whether or not there is a need to see a vascular surgeon, try consulting your doctor. They will be the one to refer you to a vascular surgeon should the need arise. Moreover, here is a list of all the conditions being treated by vascular surgeons.
Keep all of these in mind so you can have a better grasp as to what you can expect as well as whether or not you should see a vascular surgeon:
- Aneurysm
- Atherosclerosis
- Carotid Artery Disease or Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
- Compression Disorders
- Dialysis
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Spider Veins
- Varicose Veins
- Venous Ulcers
What Are the Questions to Ask Your Doctor?
If you have not consulted your doctor regarding the need to visit a vascular surgeon, maybe you should start asking the right questions.
Here is a quick guide on the questions as well as topics to take note of before the said appointment:
- Ask your doctor about your diagnosis. This will greatly help you situate yourself whether your medical condition is good, bad, or bad enough that there is a sense of urgency to your health problem.
- Always ask for a list of options for treatment. This can help you narrow down your search as to the right kind of medical practitioner that can help you resolve your health problem. Furthermore, you can compare and contrast the list provided to you by your doctor and that of the list of available treatments offered by Veins Solutions.
- What are the available medicines for you and will they have any side effects? Questions like these can help with what to expect during the treatment process stage. Similar to any type of health condition, these questions are always brought up for the sake of the patient’s knowledge of the rate of their health problem.
Another question to consider and ask your doctor is “how long will the procedure take?” To further ensure that your vascular surgeon is capable of performing the treatment on you, you can ask them “how often do you do this kind of procedure on your patients?”
Lastly, every patient should consider how long before they can get back to their regular routine.
It is always a good idea to take down notes, and if possible, you can ask someone to come with you during your appointment so that you are more capable of remembering what your surgeon has advised you. In addition, if there is a need for your surgeon to explain something or repeat something again in a much simpler way, never be afraid to ask. It is considered a vital asset that you fully comprehend and understand your conditions as well as the treatment options available to you.
How to Choose the Perfect Vascular Surgeon for You
Consider a vascular surgeon that has a good and credible medical background and what they specialise in.
Find a vascular surgeon that has experience with the necessary medical procedures for your particular condition
Do note that you do not always need a specialist surgeon – specialise in a particular set of procedures – but it would be very helpful for you, as a patient, to be able to know how many years your chosen surgeon has performed the said procedure along with how many times they have done it; this relates to their experience in conducting the necessary procedures for your health condition. With this information, you are much capable of making a smart decision.
Most patients fail to take into account the personality of their vascular surgeon, while it’s not nearly as critical as compared to your surgeon’s medical background, their personality can also play a vital role in your decision. This is considered as an important yet neglected tip when looking for a medical practitioner in general. In this case, always consider the personality of your chosen vascular surgeon.
By finding a vascular surgeon that you find kind and someone that possess a pleasing personality, you’ll have a greater chance of being less anxious and more comfortable during the medical procedure. Surgery, especially for those first-timers, is a little nerve-racking. With that in mind, it is better to find a surgeon whom you are comfortable with.
Be sure that your vascular surgeon answers all of your questions with confidence and that they keep you fully aware and informed of what to expect and when to expect it from the procedure.
On another note, having a good relationship with your surgeon can lead to better medical outcomes. Your vascular surgeon should be someone you are very comfortable with when it comes to sharing your medical history as well as your current habits. This information must be shared between the two of you with complete honesty. Remember, openness can turn any medical procedures into something a lot more safer and a little less nerve-racking.
The best surgeons, not simply those practising vascular surgery, will have a great reputation under their belts; this may be common sense but there is no harm in reminding you so. In fact, a great number of patients tend to forget this tip. Furthermore, “word of mouth” recommendations work best. If you are in doubt of a particular vascular surgeon, or if you want to confirm the credibility of someone from previous patients, then asking around would do you good.
Ask them who they recommend for vascular surgery and why. Always ask for the “why?” as this can help you reveal the history of the recommended surgeon. Pro tip: this is actually considered as the best place where most patients get their best advice.
Do keep in mind all of the factors that may affect your decision as well as the important questions to ask your doctor before the said appointment with your surgeon; these may be simple reminders but they can play a huge part in the success of your vascular procedure.
In the end, if you find a vascular surgeon that possesses the right experience level, one of the best training, and someone who has a great reputation, there is a high chance that you will have a good outcome from your vascular procedure.
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