Vascular surgeon consultation

Vascular pathologies can be congenital or acquired. Congenital pathologies are usually diagnosed at an early age, and patients with such conditions undergo necessary treatment and are monitored by doctors.

Acquired vascular pathologies can develop slowly and are often diagnosed during preventive examinations by a family doctor.

The following symptoms may indicate the presence of vascular problems of various localizations:

• intermittent claudication (pain in the calves or thigh that occurs during walking);
• pain in the lower limbs at rest;
• numbness (decreased sensitivity of fingers, feet, or the entire limb);
• cold skin of the limbs;
• change in skin color of segments of the limb (cyanosis, pallor, marbling, redness);
• restricted movement in the limb;
• trophic skin disturbances (ulcers, necrosis);
• pulsating mass or sensation of pulsation in the abdomen, neck, or limbs;
• pulsating noise in the ears;
• differential blood pressure in the limbs;
• hemorrhages;
• swelling;
• vascular formations – increased capillary pattern of the skin, enlarged and twisted subcutaneous vessels with or without pulsation;
• speech difficulties, weakened limb movements, facial asymmetry, loss of visual field, worsening visual acuity.

If one or more of the listed symptoms are present, it is advisable to consult a family doctor for differential diagnosis and to establish an accurate diagnosis.

Diagnosis

If vascular pathologies are suspected, the family doctor will prescribe vascular diagnostics and, if the diagnosis is confirmed, refer the patient for a consultation with a vascular surgeon.

The screening diagnostic test for blood vessels is ultrasound diagnostics:

• Doppler ultrasound of the lower extremities;
• Ultrasound of the vessels of the head and neck.

The specific diagnostic procedure for detecting vascular pathologies is angiography: an X-ray examination of blood vessels using a contrast agent.

During angiography, an iodine-containing substance is injected into the patient, and an image is taken using an X-ray machine. The contrast allows the doctor to see a clear visualization of the vessels and identify areas of narrowing, occlusion, tortuosity, and other pathologies.

A more detailed method for examining vessels is computed tomography (CT angiography). Vessel visualization for detecting pathological changes is performed using a CT scanner.

In the medical network "Dobrobut," we use a modern multi-slice computed tomography scanner, which allows visualization in various projections and multiple slices. This enables more detailed diagnostics and planning of the scope of surgical intervention.

Treatment

The doctors at the "Dobrobut" Center for Vascular Surgery use all modern treatment methods for vascular diseases, included in international protocols:

• evidence-based pharmacological treatment;
• surgical (traditional and minimally invasive) treatment.

Among the surgical methods for treating vascular pathologies in the "Dobrobut" medical network, we utilize:

• resection of aortic and peripheral artery aneurysms and prosthetics with artificial or autologous grafts;
• endoprosthesis of the aorta and main vessels;
• shunting of main vessels with artificial or autologous grafts;
• endovascular revascularization (balloon angioplasty, stenting of arteries);
• hybrid interventions (combination of endovascular and open surgical revascularization methods);
• endarterectomy/thrombectomy from various arterial segments, thrombectomy from deep veins;
• carotid-subclavian shunting in the case of subclavian-vertebral steal syndrome;
• revascularization of the carotid arteries - carotid endarterectomy, carotid artery prosthetics, X-ray endovascular dilation and stenting of carotid arteries;
• resection of pathologically twisted carotid and vertebral arteries;
• removal of tumors related to blood vessels, carotid paragangliomas with vessel plastic;
• repeated interventions in case of infection of vascular grafts;
• interventions for injuries of main vessels;
• simultaneous interventions for combined lesions of several arterial basins.